BAU High School
by 14hpgirl19
Summary: It's the start of senior year for six students. It's also the start of new friendships, rivalries, and relationships. Everything will change. MULTI-CHAPTER. The whole team will make an appearance. Please R&R! Rated T to be safe. Hotch/Emily JJ/Reid Morgan/Garcia WINNER: 2012 PROFILER'S CHOICE AWARD: BEST ALTERNATE UNIVERSE
1. First Day

**A/N at the end. :)**

BAU High School

Chapter 1: First Day

Emily Prentiss shifted her black messenger bag higher up on her shoulder as she stared at the large, stone building in front of her. She hated this part. The first day of school. This was her sixth high school in the last four years, and honestly, the first day never stopped being nerve-wracking. Her mom's job forced them to move a lot, so Emily had bounced from school to school. This was the last year of moving though. It was her senior year, and Emily had made her mother promise to keep her in one school for the duration of the year. Now, here she was, at Thomas Jefferson High School, on the first day. The Prentiss' house was only a few blocks away from the school, so Emily had walked there. Her mother wanted to come and help her get her schedule, but Emily told her not to.

Holding her head high, she walked up the front lawn of the school, trying to avoid students running around. She could hear various reunions of friends who had been apart for a summer. Her heart broke a little, and she found herself wishing she had a friend to talk to. Then she shoved it away, thinking, _You have only one year here before you're off to Yale. There is no point in making friends._ Her goal was to make it through the year without any problems, like snobbish popular girls. Like the girls that were standing by the school entrance.

A girl with a bandage on her nose rushed up the steps, looking like she didn't want the blonde girls to notice her. Still, the first girl hissed "Nose job. It's about time you fixed that huge thing," loudly enough for the poor girl to hear her. The other girl laughed and said, "Haley, look closer. It's not a nose job, she just wants us to think that." The girl with the bandage tilted her head down and darted up the stairs.

Haley turned to the other blonde. "How did you know?'

Mean blondie shrugged and said, "Intuition, I guess. I'm getting better at reading people. I'm not as good as Aaron though."

Haley grinned. "No one is as good as Aaron, JJ."

Emily watched all this and prayed they wouldn't notice her. It was the same at every high school: mean, popular girls who thought they ruled the school. And in a way, they did.

Emily was halfway up the stairs when they saw her. She had to have known they would see her. She was new and her all black clothing wasn't hard to miss. It wasn't that she was Goth, she just preferred to wear black.

Haley saw her first. "Ugh, look all that black. For a second, I thought I was going blind!"

JJ laughed. "What are you, Goth?" she asked Emily.

"No," Emily simply said as she hurried up the steps.

"What's your name, New Girl?"

"Emily," she replied, still walking at a fast pace. She was nearly at the doors. Still, she had to have known they wouldn't let her go so easily. They were not pleased with her snappish answers. Crossing their arms, they stepped in front of the doors, effectively blocking Emily's way in.

"Well then tell us about yourself Emily," Haley said in a fake friendly voice. "Where are you from?"

Emily didn't have time for this. She had to get her schedule and find her first class. She slid past the girls before they even knew what was happening and said, "Don't feel sharing right now." She couldn't see their faces, but she knew they were glaring at her. She also knew she wouldn't be seeing the last of them.

Entering the school, she easily located the front office, which was directly across the hall. Walking over, she yanked open the door and stepped into the waiting area. The secretary looked up at her.

"Can I help you with something?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm new here and I need my schedule."

The secretary beamed at her. "Ah, I see. Well, Principle Strauss always talks to the new kids, so if you wait just a second, she'll be right out."

Emily nodded and took a seat. Not a minute later, the door marked "Principle Strauss" opened and an older blonde woman stepped out. She glanced at Emily and said, "Ah, you must be Miss Prentiss."

Emily hated the word "Miss". It sounded too fancy. "Emily is just fine, ma'am."

Strauss pursed her lips. This one would give her trouble, she could already tell. "Come with me, _Miss Prentiss._" She turned and walked back into her office. Emily quickly stood up and followed.

Strauss gestured for Emily to take a seat in front of her desk. As she sat down, Emily glanced around the office, taking in all of the certificates and awards lining the walls. She could see some pictures on Strauss's desk of three kids, her kids most likely. Another thing Emily noticed was the many pictures of various sports teams. Football seemed most prominent, as was soccer.

Strauss flipped through a medium sized file, also known as Emily's transcript. "So, Miss Prentiss, I see you have attended six high schools."

"That is correct."

"Because of your mother's job?"

"Uh huh."

"Well, your grades seem perfectly fine. You'll have no problem fitting in there. However," Strauss looked at Emily critically over her glasses. "You have some behavioral issues and you have never participated in a school activity."

Emily frowned. "That's not true, Ma'am. I was in the debate club at three of the schools I've been to."

"What I meant was a sports team. Those are the ones that truly matter."

Suddenly everything connected for Emily. Strauss was one of the people who only cared about the success of the sports teams. Emily had a strong feeling that the star athletes of the school did whatever they wanted. "I don't think they are the ones that truly matter. There are plenty of other activities for students to do."

Strauss frowned at her. "Students who are unfit for sports. To be successful in this school, you need to play a sport."

Emily held Strauss's gaze defiantly. "I think I'll do fine. Now, may I have my schedule?"

Strauss looked pissed. "Miss Prentiss, I understand you've been to many schools, and maybe your attitude was allowed there. But it is not here. I will not stand for it. You should be careful about what battles you start." With that, she handed Emily her schedule and waved her out of the office. Emily strode out, feeling angry. This principle seemed downright unfair. Still, it was her first day. She couldn't make any assumptions just yet.

It took her a split second to realize that Strauss didn't offer to show her where her first class was. Normally she would just walk up to someone, but everyone in the hallway didn't look particularly friendly. She decided to brave it on her own. Glancing at the piece of paper in her hand, she saw her first class was Chemistry. Judging by the room number, the class should be on the second floor. Emily quickly located a stairwell and hurried up it. On the second floor landing, she froze. Now where? She didn't know. Before she could choose left or right, someone slammed into her.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" the person cried. At first, Emily was worried it was Haley or JJ and they ran into her on purpose. Then she realized this girl sounded genuine. Next she realized this girl was most definitely _not_ friends with Haley or JJ. This girl had blonde hair too, but that was where the similarities stopped. She had purple glasses, and was wearing a bright blue dress with a white cardigan and pink shoes. Emily could even see multicolored streaks in the girl's hair.

"Are you okay?" the girl asked hurriedly. "I'm really sorry, I didn't see you. I was in such a rush, and I didn't watch where I was going. Are you alright?" she asked again.

Emily smiled. "I'm fine. I was just trying to find my classroom. I'm new here." As soon as she said it, Emily realized the girl probably knew that.

The girl smiled back. "Oh, maybe I can help you. My name is Penelope Garcia. What's yours?"

"Emily Prentiss," she replied, instantly liking Penelope.

"Where are you headed, Emily?"

"Uh, Chemistry with Mr. Danielson."

"I know where that is. If you turn right, his class is at the very end of the hallway."

"Thanks," Emily said in relief.

"No problem! Hey, when do you have lunch?"

"Fourth period."

"Me too! You should sit with me and my friend Spencer!" Penelope said excitedly.

"Alright, I will," said Emily, happy to have someone to eat with.

"Great, see you then!" With a little wave, Penelope was gone.

Emily grinned a bit, pleased that she had made a friend. Well, sort of. Following Penelope's directions, she found Mr. Danielson's classroom. Upon entering, she saw most of the lab tables were full. She could see a rowdy group of boys near the back throwing balls of paper around. She also noticed the groups of girls gazing at them in awe. Rolling her eyes, Emily approached the teacher, who was writing on the board.

"Hi, I'm Emily Prentiss. I'm new," she said, feeling kind of stupid. She felt a bit better when Mr. Danielson gave her a friendly smile.

"Welcome, Emily," he said. He handed her a textbook and said, "You can take a seat over by Mr. Hotchner over there." Emily looked over to where Mr. Danielson was pointing and saw that her new tablemate was one of the rowdy boys. _Great, just what I need._ She walked hesitantly up the aisle to her seat, trying to ignore the jealous glares. Her lab partner didn't pay her any attention when she sat down, so she started to pull out her books. She chanced a glance toward Hotchner and found herself staring into the most gorgeous pair of brown eyes she had ever seen. They were a deep, dark brown that sparkled with mischief. The next thing Emily noticed was his hair. It was a dark brown, and Emily found herself wishing she could run her hands through it. This boy was beyond handsome. She was too busy staring at him that she almost didn't hear him introduce himself.

"Hey," he said casually. "I'm Aaron Hotchner. And you are…?"

"Emily Prentiss," she said quickly, shaking the hand he offered. She shivered slightly at his touch. Something was nagging her in the back of her minds. _Aaron. I've heard that name today._ She pushed the thought away when he flashed her a grin, showing off a pair of beautiful dimples.

"You must be new."

She chuckled nervously. "Is it that obvious?"

He smiled again. "Kind of. But I've also lived in this town since I was born, so I know everyone."

"Ah, I see."

Aaron looked at his friends, who weren't really paying them any attention, and looked back at Emily before asking, "So where are you from?"

"Well," she said slowly. "I just moved from Massachusetts."

He quickly picked up on how she didn't say exactly where she was from. "This isn't the first time you've moved?"

She sighed. "Far from it. I've been to six high schools."

Aaron's eyes widened. "Wow. That must be tough."

"Yeah, it is, but you get used to it." Mr. Danielson started class at that moment, stopping any further conversation. Because it was the first day, there was a whole lot of listening. Still, Emily found herself sneaking glances at Aaron. He was listening attentively to what Mr. Danielson was saying, unlike his friends, who were whispering behind them. Emily was actually relieved that Aaron wasn't totally like them. It reassured her.

Before long, the bell ringed, signaling the end of class. Emily was actually disappointed. She didn't want to go to another class that might not have Aaron in it. She slowly put her books away, trying to see if he would talk to her or leave with his friends. For a second, it seemed like he would. They stood up and waited for him, as if he was their leader. Emily's heart sank when she saw this, but rose again when she heard him say, "Go on ahead. I need to talk to someone."

Her heart beat rapidly (which startled her) and she looked up. He was zippering up his backpack, eying the door. When the last person walked out, he looked at her. "Do you need help finding your next class?"

She smiled and replied, "Yeah, that would be nice."

He gave her a small smile and asked, "Where are you headed?"

She scanned her schedule and said, "Calculus with Mrs. Giovanni."

"That's on my way to my next class. I can walk you there."

Emily was a little disappointed that they didn't have the next class together, but accepted nonetheless. They were walking down the third floor hallway when someone yelled Aaron's name. Suddenly, Haley darted over and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a heated kiss. Emily's heart dropped to her stomach. _That_ was where she had heard Aaron's name earlier: Haley had said it. It clicked in Emily's brain: Aaron and Haley were dating.

Haley finally came up for air and glared at Emily. "What are you staring at, Erica?"

"It's Emily," she said tightly.

"Whatever," Haley said, rolling her eyes. She looked at Aaron. "Why are you walking with _her_?"

"Mr. Danielson told me I had to show her to her next class," Aaron lied. "I couldn't get out of it." Emily's mouth dropped open. _What?_

Haley pouted. "Well, ditch her. I want to spend some time with you before my next class." She smiled at him suggestively and Aaron returned it with a cocky grin. Turning to Emily he said, "You can find your way, can't you Elise?" For second, he looked almost apologetic, but it was gone in a flash. Wrapping his arm around Haley, they walked off, Haley glaring victoriously at Emily.

Emily was still gaping. _That asshole!_ She thought. She had thought wrong: Aaron Hotchner was just like all the other boys.

**A/N: Hello! So I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of my AU story, if you actually wanted to read the whole thing. I've had this idea for awhile, and I've written a few chapters, but not the whole story. I realize that may not be smart, but I was so eager to post it, I got impatient. :) Anyway, any kind of feedback would be wonderful. Tell me if you like it, if you want me to continue, if there's anything to want to see happen in the story, etc. If you have any criticisms, please keep it nice. I know that right now some characters (Aaron, JJ) aren't the best people in the world, but please bare with me. Every main character will make an appearance except for Elle because I don't have a place for her (But if you want to see her, I can try to add her in). OK, I think that was everything I wanted to say! Thank you for reading, and please please please review! :) :) They make my day. :)**


	2. Predictable

BAU High School

Chapter 2: Predictable

"You can find your way, can't you Elise?" Aaron asked Emily cockily, getting her name wrong on purpose. He saw the hurt in her eyes and he instantly felt terrible. She didn't deserve to be treated that way. Still, Haley obviously didn't like her, so he couldn't like her. Aaron pushed the guilt-ridden thoughts and wrapped an arm possessively around Haley. Not that he needed to show the school Haley was his. Everyone already knew that. They were the school's ultimate couple, along with Jennifer Jareau and Will LaMontagne.

Aaron and Haley strode down the hall, leaving Emily gaping at them. He wanted to explain to her why he had just acted that way, but he knew he couldn't. He needed to keep his appearance up. Besides, Haley was talking to him, and she hated it when he didn't listen.

"What a loser! I mean, really. She thinks she can just waltz in here and talk to you?"

Aaron knew he should have probably defended Emily, but instead settled for saying, "She's just another nerd."

"She mouthed off to JJ and me earlier. _No one_ does that. She's going to become a social outcast."

Aaron pulled her closer to him. "Stop thinking about it. She's not worth the headache."

Haley smiled and gave him a quick kiss. "You're right, as always."

They resumed their walk, Haley waving at popular girls, and Aaron high-fiving various guys. They kept walking until they reached the school's courtyard. It was filled with students hanging out before class, catching up after a summer apart. Haley dragged Aaron to a secluded corner and yanked him into a fervent kiss. Aaron responded with matched enthusiasm. This was their favorite way to spend time together. It stopped them from fighting.

Aaron pulled away and asked breathlessly, "What's your next class?"

"Does it matter?" Haley replied, pulling him back in.

"Well, yeah," Aaron said against her lips. "We need to go to class."

"Ugh, you sound like a nerd. Let's just skip."

Aaron had frozen at the nerd comment. He didn't want to be considered a nerd. He couldn't be. Thinking fast, he said "If I don't go, Coach Rossi will kick me off the team." Aaron played football and was the star quarterback. He knew how important it was to Haley that he was on the team. She was the head cheerleader.

She sighed. "You have a point." She gave him another kiss, than held out her hand. "Walk me to class?" It was a pointless question. She knew he would. He would do anything for her. He slid his hand into hers. "Of course." He walked Haley to her classroom and gave her a quick kiss before hurrying to his own class. After walking in, he paused and looked to see who was there. He saw Derek Morgan leaning over his desk, talking to some pretty girls. Derek was pretty funny, but he drove Haley nuts. Sometimes he annoyed Aaron too.

"Hey Hotch!" Derek yelled. Aaron resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Derek had called him that since seventh grade and it annoyed the crap out of Aaron. They weren't close enough for nicknames, and even if they were, "Hotch" didn't feel right.

Ignoring Derek, Aaron spotted his best friend, Will LaMontagne near the back. Will saw him too and waved him over. "Hey!" Will called, standing up to greet him. The two boys clapped each other on the back before Aaron slid into the empty seat next to Will. He nodded hello to JJ, Will's girlfriend, before turning back to Will.

"Hey, man, how's it going?" Aaron asked his best friend since third grade. "How was your summer?" Will had gone with his family to New Orleans for the entire summer.

"Pretty good. Food was good, there was some cool music. What about you?"

"Eh, nothing special," Aaron answered honestly. "Practiced football, took care of Sean, hung out with Haley, you know, the usual."

Will shook his head. "You are so normal."

Aaron shot him a confused look. "Normal?"

"You never do anything unusual. I can predict where you will be in a year right now, and I'll be right."

"Okay, go ahead," Aaron said.

"You'll be going off to college on a football scholarship. You'll still be dating Haley and you'll still be best friends with me. Simple."

Aaron frowned. He didn't like being so predictable. "You don't know that. I could get kicked off the team. Or Haley and I could break up and I could start dating some exchange student."

Will shook his head. "If you want to think that, fine. I'm just stating a fact. Now, moving on to other matters, JJ is throwing a party this weekend at her parent's lake house. Unsupervised fun. You in?"

Aaron grinned. "Of course I am."

JJ leaned in. "Yeah, you are, 'cause Haley already RSVP'd for you."

Aaron already had a feeling she had done that. That was Haley for you. Controlling at times and sometimes very bratty. Still, Aaron loved her. He had a feeling they would get married one day.

Will had started talking about something random and Aaron began to tune him out. He was thinking about Haley, and how she had been mean to Emily earlier. Suddenly Emily's wounded look popped up in his mind, and he once again felt hugely guilty. He wasn't exactly sure as to why though. Haley was mean to a lot of people, and he had never felt guilty before. Well, maybe for that kid, Spencer Reid, but Spencer was small and weak.

At that moment, the teacher walked into class, saving Aaron from his thoughts.

Most of the popular kids sitting at the back of JJ's second period history class were whispering and texting. They never paid attention to class because they weren't afraid of failing. Principle Strauss always pardoned the kids who were on sports teams, which they all were on. If things got really dire, they could force some nerd to do their work. Still, JJ always paid attention. She needed to get good grades so she could get into college. College was important to her. She wanted to get out of that small town so badly. She needed to get out of that town. Which is why she was actually listening. The only other person in the back of the room who was paying attention was Aaron. She didn't know why he cared. He was going to get a football scholarship without a doubt. She wasn't that close to Aaron. Everyone thought they were, but in reality, JJ only talked to him because he was Will's best friend and Haley's boyfriend.

After the bell rang, JJ walked to the door with Will and Aaron. "Where are you off to?" Will asked his best friend.

"I have this period as my free time, but Coach wants me to go talk to him, so I'm meeting him in his office. You?"

"Lucky, I have to go to chemistry. I'll see you at lunch though." Aaron nodded and clapped Will on the back. He gave JJ a polite smile and walked off.

Will wrapped his arm around JJ and began to walk the opposite way. "What about you, darlin'? Where are you going?"

JJ sighed. "I have free period too, but I don't know who else has it now, so I'm going to go to the library."

Will made a funny noise. "The library? Really, JJ?"

"Well, yeah," she said. "I can sit and read my magazine there." That wasn't exactly why she was going, but if Will knew it was to study, he would laugh.

"Oh, okay. That works."

"I wasn't asking for your permission," she said defiantly.

"I know you weren't," Will said quickly, giving her a quick kiss before hurrying up the nearest staircase. "I'll see you after class!"

JJ sighed and continued walking down the hall. She loved Will, she did. But sometimes he got on her nerves. There were times he seemed really possessive and it annoyed the crap out of her. She could take care of herself. She'd done it for years.

On her way to the library, she saw several girls duck out of her way when they saw her coming. When this had first started happening, JJ felt terrible. She didn't want to be so mean that girls ran when they saw her. However, after awhile, it felt normal. She felt like she was in power. She and Haley ran the school and they wouldn't have it any other way.

Upon reaching the library, a young freshman girl was darting out of it. Before the door shut, JJ cleared her throat and gave the girl a look. Her eyes widened a bit, then she reached out and yanked the door back open for JJ. She sauntered inside without another word.

"Wow," a snide voice said from a nearby table. "You have freshmen open the door for you?"

JJ whipped her head around and found the source of the voice. That girl from that morning, Emily, was sitting at a table by herself, glaring at JJ. JJ slowly walked over to Emily's table and lowered her head slightly so she could see into the other girl's eyes while still being above her. A few kids at nearby tables scattered.

"Yes," JJ said smugly. "I do have people open doors for me because I matter at this school. You obviously don't understand that yet."

"I understand that you _think_ you matter, but you don't."

JJ was stunned by this girl's words. She hadn't even been here a day and she was already standing up to her. Suddenly JJ remembered what Haley had texted her earlier: _That new loser girl was eyeing Aaron. As if she has a chance with him!_

She gave Emily a fake smile. "You'll figure out soon enough who is popular here and who isn't. Let me give you a small overview of who's popular: There's Haley and I, my boyfriend Will, and her boyfriend _Aaron_." She put a lot of emphasis on Aaron's name, taking sick pleasure on seeing Emily's face fall. JJ gave her another fake smile, then turned on her heel and walked over to some couches by the window. She waved away some sophomores and settled in, pulling out her history notebook. Glancing over at Emily, she pulled out her phone and texted Haley: _We need to show the new girl where she belongs._

Haley's text was back in a second. _I have the perfect plan. ;)_

**A/N: Thank you sosososo much to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and alerted my story! You guys are the best. I'm glad everyone seems to like the story so far. I've decided that whenever I'm done writing a chapter, I'll post another one unless the chapter I'm writing it taking too long. I've also decided that for the purposes of this story, some things will be different. For example, the team's backstories will be different (Don't worry, Spencer is still young, but he's not twelve). It's what I needed for the story. So with that, please keep reviewing and alerting! It really makes my day and it gives me incentive to write. Thank you all for reading! :) :) **


	3. New Friends

BAU High School

Chapter 3: New Friends

Spencer Reid had watched the showdown between JJ and the new girl from his seat a few tables away. He was impressed with the new girl's courage. She had a lot of guts to stand up to Jennifer Jareau. Spencer could never do it. JJ and Haley picked on him quite frequently because he was younger and smarter than most of the seniors. Spencer was actually fourteen years old, but he looked like he was twelve. He hid out in the library to avoid all of the popular kids. Normally Spencer would have been dreading classes like gym, where boys like Will LaMontagne could really hurt him. But somehow, gym wasn't on his schedule. He had a feeling that was because of his best friend Penelope. She was a computer whiz and had probably hacked into the school's computer system to take care of it.

Spencer watched JJ sit down on a couch and pull out her phone. Her perfectly straightened blonde hair slid in front of her face, and she tucked it back behind her ear. A devious grin spread across her face as she read her text, and Spencer felt bad for whatever poor kid she was plotting against. For a brief second, Spencer was scared that it would be him, for he was their favorite person to tease. The only person from that group that defended him was Aaron Hotchner. At least, when no one else was around. He was very quiet about his kindness towards Spencer. Still, Spencer was grateful.

He glanced around at all the books spread out around him and sighed. The little homework he had at the moment was done. He had finished it within twenty minutes. Looking at the clock, he saw he still had an hour left before lunch. Growing excited, he stood up and quickly walked over to the educational books. His fingers ran across the spines of the books until he came across one he had never read before. It must be new. This book was on the minds of criminals and what motivated them to do what they do. Spencer was fascinated with psychology and the human brain. Last year he had read every book the school had on it. Next semester, he was hoping to take a psychology class taught by Jason Gideon, who was very skilled at getting inside people's minds.

Settling into his chair, Spencer sped through the thick book and had finished it and even taken a few notes on it by the time the bell rang. Shoving his notebooks into his messenger bag, he put the textbook back and darted out into the hall. He hurried down the hall to the cafeteria, eager to find Penelope. They had been best friends since fourth grade and knew each other better than anybody. The jocks and cheerleaders picked on them the most, which is why they stuck together. That, and they had so much fun together.

Walking into the lunchroom, he immediately spotted Penelope (due to her colorfulness) sitting by the back corner. Weaving in and out of tables, he successfully made it to the table and plunked his bag down.

"Hey," he said. "How was your first few classes?"

"Pretty good," she said cheerfully. "Yours?"

"Easy, as always."

"Done your homework already?" she asked knowingly.

He gave her a sheepish grin. "Yeah."

She shook her head. "You brilliant boy. By the way, I invited the new girl to come sit with us, if you don't mind."

"Uh, no, I guess not," Spencer said, feeling a little upset. He liked keeping things just him and Penelope. However, when she started waving someone over, Spencer saw the new girl was the same one from the library. The one that had mouthed off to JJ. Instantly he felt better, and was even excited to talk to her.

New Girl dropped her bag down next to Penelope and gave her a small smile. "Hi Penelope."

"Hey!" Penelope turned to Spencer. "Spence, this is Emily Prentiss. Emily, this is my best friend, Spencer Reid."

"Hello Emily," Spencer said politely. She said hello in return.

"So how are you liking Thomas Jefferson?" Penelope asked, pulling out a salad from her bag. Spencer followed suit and pulled out a sandwich.

"Uh, it's…..different, I guess," Emily said, rummaging around in her bag. "Damn, I forgot my lunch money."

"Here," Spencer said, handing her half on his lunch.

"Oh, you don't have to," Emily said quickly.

"Please, I insist." She gave him a grateful smile and hungrily bit into it.

"So how is Jefferson different?" Penelope asked her.

"Well," Emily hesitated for a second before saying "There really seems to be a focus on sports."

Penelope and Spencer both nodded their heads rapidly. "If you're not on a team, you're nobody to Strauss," Spencer said. "Do you play a sport?"

"Nope," Emily said. "And Strauss is well aware of that."

"What do you mean?" Penelope asked.

Emily quickly explained how things got a bit heated between her and the principle. "She probably hates me, and thinks I'm a hoodlum. I mean, I look the part," she added, gesturing to her all-black wardrobe. "I don't _always_ dress this way," she said quickly when she saw Penelope's slightly horrified look.

Penelope recovered and said, "Join the club. Spence and I don't do any sports and Strauss hates us. She thinks I hack into the computer system to change my grades, which I only did once." When Emily shot her an amused look, she said, "I totally deserved an A and my teacher gave me a B-."

"Strauss thinks I cheat on all of my tests because I get As all the time," Spencer volunteered.

"All the time?" Emily said dubiously.

"Spencer is a genius," Penelope explained.

"Am not," he started to say, but he noticed Penelope's face and decided against it.

"How old are you, anyway?" Emily couldn't help but ask.

"Fourteen," he said sheepishly.

"Anyway," Penelope said after giving Spencer an affectionate smile. "Strauss gives the athletes special treatment. They never get in trouble or fail any tests. That's why they feel they run the school."

"The worst are the football team and the cheerleaders," Spencer said, shuddering slightly.

Emily pursed her lips, then said, "Are there any girls named Haley or JJ on the cheerleading squad?"

"Haley Brooks is. She's the captain," Penelope said. "JJ is the captain of the soccer team."

Spencer's stomach dropped a bit when he saw the two girls they were talking about enter the lunch room. "And they have our lunch period."

Penelope whipped her head around and saw the girls. Her eyes widened and she ducked slightly. Emily's eyes narrowed when she saw them. Her lunch period had now been ruined. She looked at Penelope, and said, "Are you okay?"

The other girl shook her head. "They scare me."

Emily gave her a reassuring smile. "They won't bother you. I'll make sure of it." At Penelope's confused look, Emily filled her in on her various encounters with Haley and JJ. Spencer thought again of JJ's devious look earlier and wondered if he should mention it, but then Penelope announced something that made him want to duck as well.

"And of course the football team has this lunch as well." As she was saying it, Will and Aaron were striding into the cafeteria followed by the rest of the team. They spotted their girlfriends, and walked over to them. Will kissed JJ and Aaron kissed Haley. The whole group took up two tables, one of which they stole from some other students. One of the larger boys glared at a small boy, and Spencer shuddered. He turned back to his own table to see Emily shooting daggers at the jocks. Namely Aaron.

"Hey," he said softly. "You okay?"

"What?" she asked, spinning around with an embarrassed look on her face.

"Yeah," Penelope said, still in awe over how Emily stood up to Haley and JJ. "You look kinda tense."

Emily glanced back over at the jocks before asking, "What can you tell me about Aaron Hotchner?"

Penelope blinked. "Uh, well…..he's been in this town since he was a little boy. He has always been the popular, outgoing guy that everyone is friends with. He's very athletic. Aaron is the captain of the varsity football team, which he's been on since his freshmen year."

"He's smart too," Spencer piped in. "He's been in most of my AP classes since the beginning of high school."

"What about him and Haley?" Emily couldn't help but ask.

Penelope gave a weary smile. "Every girl at school is in love with him- I mean, who wouldn't be, look at him- but he's been Haley's since freshmen year. They occasionally fight because one of them gets jealous over something, but they always sort it out."

Emily stole another glace in his direction before asking, "Is he mean like her?" This seemed like the question she had wanted to ask from the beginning.

"No," Spencer said immediately.

"Well, not as bad as Haley," Penelope corrected. "He's a really sweet guy when no one is around. When he is with his friends, he's pretty harsh."

"Still, he's been really nice to me at times," Spencer said. It was true. One summer, near the beginning of their freshmen year, Spencer had taken a class during the summer so he could get ahead. The football team had a camp that summer as well, and it would let out around the same time Spencer's class did. He and Aaron lived on the same street, so one day when Spencer was walking home, Aaron joined him. The two boys actually became pretty close. They would walk home (unless Aaron had other plans with his teammates) and sometimes head over to one of their houses for lunch. Spencer had enjoyed having a friend besides Penelope, but sadly it didn't last. Once the school year started, Aaron became the most popular freshmen boy, leaving Spencer in the dust. Spencer had been upset at first, and there were times he wished he was still close to Aaron, but eventually he accepted it.

Tuning back into the conversation, he noticed Emily looked skeptical. "_At times_ is the key phrase."

Penelope looked confused. "What do you know about him?"

Emily sighed, and then said, "He's my chemistry partner. He was really sweet at first, like you said. Then after class, I saw his true self." She explained how he lied to Haley and how he purposely messed up her name.

Penelope winced. "Like I said, he can be pretty harsh."

Even Spencer didn't have a good argument for that.

Emily sighed and sat up straighter. "It doesn't matter. I could care less about the amazing Aaron Hotchner." Her voice was sarcastic as she said his name. Spencer studied her carefully. There was something in her eyes that lead him to believe she did care. After a second it was gone. He pushed the thought away and began to ask Emily about her past schools. Emily began to feel at ease. Penelope and Spencer were really nice, and she was glad she had made some friends. They had been talking for a few minutes about Harry Potter (something the three of them loved) when a good-looking, dark skinned boy dropped into a seat across from Penelope.

"Hey, Baby Girl," the boy said, flashing Penelope a killer smile.

Emily thought Penelope would brush the player off, but instead she gave him a flirty grin and said, "Hello, my chocolate god."

Spencer saw Emily's shocked expression and quickly said, "Emily, this is Derek Morgan. Derek, this is Emily Prentiss."

Derek turned his eyes on Emily, and grinned. "Well, hello Emily. It is very nice to meet you," he said smoothly, picking up her hand and kissing it. She immediately pulled it away.

"Ooh, that's harsh," Derek said, feigning hurt. He turned to Penelope, and asked, "What's her problem?" Emily raised her eyebrows at that.

Penelope said, "She's new here, so be nice." She swatted him on the arm for good measure.

Derek raised his hand up. "Jeez, mama, that's harsh too." He turned to Emily and said, "I'm sorry if I offended you in some way." Though he sounded sincere, Emily knew it was for Penelope."

She gave him a small smile and said, "Its fine." He flashed her a killer smile, then said, "So how's everyone's first day?"

"Alright," Penelope said with a shrug.

"Classes are easy," Spencer added.

"Well, of course they are for you, Genius Boy," Derek smirked. Spencer blushed and ducked his head. "What about you Emily?" Derek continued. "This your first day here?"

"Yeah," Emily said. "Are you on a sports team?" she asked abruptly.

"No," he said, looking confused.

"Sorry," Emily said quickly. "I've just heard a lot about the jocks at this school."

"Oh, like how they think they run everything?"

"Yeah," Emily said. Derek nodded.

"That's how they are."

"Whatever," Emily said, tired of talking about the popular kids. "So, Derek, are you and Penelope dating, or something?"

Derek and Penelope burst out laughing. "No," Penelope said quickly. "We're just really good friends."

"_Really_ good," Derek added with a grin.

"Oh, okay then," Emily said, still feeling confused. The four of them talked for the rest of the period, and Emily found she liked Derek as much as she liked Spencer and Penelope.

"Hey," Penelope said as they were walking out of the cafeteria. "What electives are you guys signing up for?"

"Psychology," Spencer said immediately. "I've been wanting to take this class for years. It seems fascinating."

"Yeah, I've heard good things about that class," Derek agreed. "It sounds cool."

"Sign up with me," Spencer suggested. "I don't want to be alone."

"Alright, yeah," Derek said, nodding. "I'll do it. I took wood shop last year, and it was full of idiots who wanted an easy A."

Penelope grinned. "Sweetie, isn't that why you signed up for it?"

"Yeah," Derek shrugged. "But at least I actually got an A."

Penelope laughed. "Well, good for you. I am signing up for this really cool computer class where-,"

"Penelope," Spencer interrupted. "Haven't you taken all of the computer classes here?"

She blushed. "No," she said defensively. She turned to Emily. "What about you?"

"Well, I don't know all the electives, but Psychology sounded cool."

"Yeah!" Derek yelled, throwing his hands in the air. "You should do it! You just have to sign up by this Friday in the guidance office."

Emily smiled at her new friends. "Alright, I will."

**A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has read, alerted, or favorited this story. It really means a lot to me as a new fan fiction writer. Please just keep reviewing and reading the story, and I will update as soon as I can. I'm worried about some parts of this chapter, so if you could give me some feedback, I would REALLY appreciate it.**

**Oh, and yes, I changed my penname. It's now 14hpgirl19 (as I'm sure you can see). **

**PLEASE REVIEW! :) :)**


	4. I Walk A Lonely Road

BAU High School

Chapter 4: I Walk A Lonely Road

As soon as the bell rang at the end of the day, Aaron hurried to the locker room to get ready for football practice. The school day had passed by in a blur and his head already hurt with the thought of all the homework he would have to do after practice. Any other person on his team would laugh at the idea of homework, but Aaron needed to keep his grades up if he wanted to go to a good school. The only problem was he wasn't completely sure of what he wanted to do after college. Everyone assumed he would go to school on a football scholarship, and then become a professional player after. However, Aaron wasn't sure if that was what he wanted to do. There were other things that interested him, like law or psychology.

Aaron paused at that thought. Psychology? Where did _that_ come from? He shook his head and continued on his way. He pushed through the locker room door and strode over to his locker. Spinning the dial, he pulled it open and yanked out his practice jersey. He was the first person in the locker room, mainly because he had sprinted there from his second free period, which would be filled up with whatever elective he decided to take. He was the captain, and he preferred to be the first person there. The quiet was also very soothing.

He changed quickly and hurried out to the field. The sun was shining brightly, and there was a warm breeze. Aaron pulled the bag of footballs from the storage closet near the door to the locker room, and took one out. He walked to the end zone, paused a second, and threw it as hard as he could. It spun perfectly in the air and hit the ground forty yards away. He stared at the ball for a moment before he realized he could hear the faint sound of applause. Looking to his left towards the bleachers, he saw Coach Rossi coming out of the locker rooms.

"You've been practicing," he called.

Aaron smiled as he walked over to the bench. "All summer, like I told you before."

Rossi smiled back. "I know you said it, I just didn't believe you." He was joking, of course. No one doubted Aaron's truthfulness, and they all knew how hard-working he was, Rossi best of all. Aaron had become his favorite student since his freshmen year, and he would be sad to see him leave at the end of the year.

Aaron nodded toward the locker room. "Is everyone here?"

"Yeah, they're just goofing off. You're going to have to get them to focus."

"Yes, sir," Aaron said with a grin. Earlier in the day, Rossi told him about his plans for the team winning the state championships. They had won for the past nine years, and Rossi wanted to make it a perfect ten. The two of them had gone over new plays and drills during Aaron's free period.

Within ten minutes, the whole team was on the field. Rossi nodded at Aaron to get him to start practice.

"Alright, listen up!" Aaron yelled. "Coach wants to talk to us, but first, let's do our passing drill." The team nodded and picked up some footballs, quickly forming lines. They did the drill for five minutes before Rossi blew his whistle.

"Come here, boys!" The team jogged over to their coach, who smiled at them. "I suppose I should say welcome back, but since we've been practicing for weeks, I don't think it's needed."

The team chuckled before he continued. "Now, as you all know, if we win the championships this year, that makes ten years in a row. No other team at this school will have accomplished that. We are _so _close. But we're not close enough. We have to actually _get_ to the championship to win it. To do that, we have to play our best all season. This is the last year for some of you," He paused slightly and looked at Aaron, Will, and a few other seniors. "So you need to make it count.

"Our first game is in three weeks," he continued. "It's against Huntsville High." The team let out a few boos and hisses. "Yes, I know, they're our sworn enemy. But they've also come very close to beating us in the past. Too close. That's why I've devised some new plays for us, which we are going to start learning today. So Aaron, if you'd like to start them off…."

Aaron came to the front of the group. "Alright guys, let's get to work!" The team cheered and ran out into the field. Aaron grinned at Rossi, who grinned right back.

"Go on, kid," Rossi said. Aaron jogged out to the team and began to organize them. They ran the play and many others for a half hour. Finally, Rossi told them to take a water break.

Aaron grabbed his bottle and downed half of it, even pouring some on his face. Will laughed, and said, "Smooth, man. Real smooth." In response, Aaron squirted Will with some water.

After a minute, the team made their way back onto the field. Aaron was about to join them when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Walking across the school lawn towards the street was the new girl, Emily Prentiss. Her shoulders were hunched over, and she was clutching the straps of her messenger bag. White ear buds hung from her ears. Aaron felt a surge of guilt as he watched her walk alone. He was reminded of a Green Day song that seemed to fit Emily perfectly right now.

"_I walk a lonely road, the only one that I have ever known. Don't know where it goes, but its home to me, and I walk alone."_

_She doesn't have to walk alone,_ a voice in the back of Aaron's mind said. _You could be her friend._

_She doesn't need any friends, _Aaron argued. He saw her at lunch with little Spencer Reid and that Garcia girl. _She's fine._

_No thanks to you,_ the annoying voice said, reminding him of how rude he had been earlier. He was suddenly overcome with the intense feeling to run after her, but a shout from the field jerked him back to the present.

"Aaron!" Will yelled. "C'mon!"

Aaron shook his head and sprinted out to the field, trying to forget about Emily Prentiss for the moment.

* * *

><p>As soon as the bell rang at the end of the day, Emily was all but sprinting to the school exit. She wanted nothing more than to go home. <em>No, <em>she corrected herself. She wanted nothing more than to go to her _house_. The modest white Victorian house down the street was most certainly not home. Emily didn't even know what home was anymore.

It only took one day at Thomas Jefferson for her to come to a simple conclusion: She hated it. Plain and simple. The only bright spot in her day had been meeting Spencer, Penelope, and Derek. They had gladly accepted her, and for that she was grateful.

But they were definitely the only good things about the damn school. It seems that JJ and Haley had decreed her Loser Number One, and everyone picked up on it. No one else would talk to her unless it was absolutely necessary. Cheerleaders, football players, and soccer players whispered behind her back all day long. It was infuriating, but she refused to give them satisfaction. She tried her best to keep her head up, and focus on other things, like the prospect of Yale at the end of the year. She would be able to start over there. Become a new person.

Emily knew Haley and JJ would probably plan something to make her feel like the ultimate outcast, but she thought it would be worse than people just talking about her behind her back. Don't get her wrong, it still hurt, but six different high schools had taught her to develop tough skin. She was prepared for petty whispers. They were always present in schools. Honestly, Haley and JJ weren't the worst kind of girl Emily had encountered. She expected mean girls.

Aaron, however….well that was different. Emily was well aware of the jackasses in high school, but Aaron had seemed different at first. That was why she was so stung at his comment.

"_You can find your way, can't you, Elise?"_ The words echoed in her head. That moment kept replaying itself in her head all day. He had seemed so nice at first, with his kind smile and warm eyes…..

Emily shook her head. _Don't go there,_ she thought. It wasn't worth it.

After stopping by her empty locker to dump some books, she made her way out the main doors. This time, they were thankfully clear of any popular girls. Emily popped her ear buds in and clicked a random song. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" came on. She stopped dead when she noticed how the lyrics were the story of her life. Shaking her head, she skipped the song, settling on a fast rock song.

As she walked to the sidewalk, she turned her head to the right and saw the football field. The varsity team was taking a water break on the sidelines. Emily spotted Aaron right away. Number 7. For a second, it almost seemed like he was looking at her. She averted her eyes, and sped up.

The walk to her house took less than five minutes. She turned into her driveway, pausing to look at the large house. Two floors, four bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and two half baths. It had a wraparound porch complete with two wicker chairs. In addition to that, the backyard was huge and it had a two car garage. It was your typical American house. It wasn't as large as some of the other houses they had lived in, but Emily liked it. It was homier.

Pushing through the front door, she was greeted by silence. As usual. She was used to it. Her parents were busy with work and wouldn't be home until close to dinnertime, sometimes later.

She paused in the doorway, taking in the silence. It was a nice change after listening to nothing but whispers all day. She went into the kitchen, and looked through the cabinets. The Prentiss' hadn't been there long, so Emily couldn't find any good snacks. Making a small bowl of cereal, she walked up to her room. Her mother would be furious if she knew Emily brought food to her room, but she could care less.

Her room was the last bedroom at the end of the hall. It didn't have any posters up and was filled with a few boxes containing some books and CDs. The only pieces of furniture in the room was her bed, a nightstand, a desk and chair, and an empty bookcase. Her closet held most of her clothes and shoes.

Setting her bowl of cereal on the desk, Emily put her iPod in the dock that sat on her nightstands, and blared the music as loud as possible. While the silence was nice, she preferred to drown it out. It helped her feel less lonely inside.

**A/N: Just a quick update because I love posting chapters. This is basically a filler chapter, I'll try to post the next one either tomorrow or Sunday. There's a bit more action in that one. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who has done anything to this story, whether it was reviewing or alerting or even just reading it. You guys are totally awesome :) I'll try to reply to some of your reviews soon, I promise. Once again, thank you for everything, and please keep reading and reviewing!**


	5. Signing Up For Electives

BAU High School

Chapter 5: Signing Up For Electives

The next morning, Spencer made his way to the guidance office as soon as he reached the school. He wanted to sign up for Psychology as soon as possible to ensure he would have a spot. He really wasn't sure how many people wanted to sign up for the class, but he wasn't about to take any chances.

He pushed open the door to the office, and joined the long line of students signing up for electives. Apparently some people had the same idea as him.

A rather bossy voice made its way to Spencer's ears from the front of the line. "Didn't you hear me? I want to take public speaking, not acting!" Spencer immediately recognized the voice as Jennifer Jareau's. He suddenly had the urge to run from the small office.

_C'mon, _a voice in his head said. _She's all the way up there, she can't hurt you. _

JJ's problem was solved a minute later, and she strode out the door. On the way out, she looked at Spencer. He braced himself for the glare that never came. She just continued out the door.

_I suppose that's better,_ he thought. Better to be ignored than bullied.

After five minutes of waiting, Spencer finally reached the front of the line. "You signing up for an elective?" the secretary asked.

Spencer nodded, and said his name and the class he wished to take. The secretary put it into the computer, and then nodded at Spencer.

"You're all set," she said.

"Thank you," he said happily, making his way to the door. Initially, he had been dreading this school year. All the other seniors would be participating in the traditional senior activities, except for him. He wasn't invited or accepted. At first, that had been fine with him. He had felt awkward being a ten year old freshman, and he preferred to hang out with only Penelope.

But as his high school years passed, he began to wish he was the same age as everyone else. He wished that he would be able to have the same memories as everyone else. When Penelope discovered this, she enlisted Derek to help make young Spencer feel welcome in the large school. And they had. Thanks to them, Spencer finally had the friends he had always wanted.

Speaking of Derek, he was currently walking down the hall towards Spencer. "Hey, Pretty Boy," he greeted him once he reached him. Derek had always called Spencer "Pretty Boy" even though Spencer told him not to. Deep down, he actually liked it a bit.

"Hey, Derek," he replied as the older boy fell into step with him. "How are you?"

"Pretty good," Derek said easily. "Where are you off to?"

"English Literature," he said. "You?"

"I have a free period," Derek said with a grin.

"Lucky," Spencer muttered. He knew that Penelope had first period free as well. Meanwhile, he had to endure English Lit with JJ.

Derek sensed Spencer's bad mood, and said, "Hey. Just keep your head up. No one will hurt you."

"You don't know that," he snapped back. "It hasn't stopped them before."

"Listen," Derek said, pulling the younger boy to the side of the hallway. "You're ten times better than those idiots, and you know that. They're gonna be working for you someday."

He had heard that speech a million times, but it never hurt. Spencer smiled at the boy he considered a brother and said, "Thanks, Derek."

Derek ruffled his hair affectionately. "Anytime, kid, anytime. Hey, I'm gonna go sign up for Psychology right now. Have you done that yet?"

"Just came from there. You should be all set to join the class."

"Perfect. Catch you later, Pretty Boy." With that, Derek turned and strode down the hall. Spencer suppressed a grin, and walked the other way. He made it to his classroom before the bell rang. Setting his messenger bag over his chair in the front row, he pulled out his notebook and pencil. As he was opening his notebook, JJ strutted into the room. She walked straight to the back with some of her popular friends.

Spencer watched her as she walked. There was no denying she was absolutely beautiful. With her blonde hair and blue eyes, JJ easily looked like she could be a model. Spencer had a small crush on her. He knew it was stupid. After all, she was dating Will LaMontange. Plus, she thought he was a loser. JJ would never date a small fourteen year old like Spencer.

Penelope and Derek thought he was crazy. After all, she was the one who teased him every day in eighth grade. He hadn't forgotten. It was impossible to forget. Those days had been the worst of Spencer's life. And yet… He liked JJ. His friends insisted it was merely a physical thing. They thought it was because she was gorgeous.

Spencer couldn't help but think it was more than that. He didn't know how, but something told him there was more to Jennifer Jareau then what everyone saw.

* * *

><p>Emily was dreading Chemistry the next day. She did not want to see Aaron. Not now, not ever. It wasn't because he was a jackass, because that she could handle. She didn't want to deal with the embarrassment of what happened yesterday. He had seemed nice, and then turned out to be a loser. Emily was afraid to see what side of him would make an appearance.<p>

She stepped into the classroom just as the bell rang. She had been hoping to get there right as class started, saving her the awkwardness with sitting with him before class. Sadly, fate had other plans. Mr. Danielson wasn't there yet, so everyone was still sitting around talking.

Emily suppressed a groan and made her way to her seat. Aaron was there, of course. He didn't acknowledge her presence, which was fine with her. She would prefer to sit in silence.

The class passed by slowly after the teacher finally showed up. They were beginning to discuss The Periodic Table. Emily was bored out of her mind. When the bell rang an hour later, she almost cried with relief. She shoved her stuff in her bag and stood up. In the commotion of the rest of the class leaving, she almost didn't hear a quiet voice say, "I'm sorry about yesterday."

She spun around and saw Aaron standing there. His friends had already taken off, leaving him alone.

She glared at him. "Don't worry about it, Alex," she said getting his name wrong on purpose. He closed his eyes, and then opened them.

"Look," he said. "It's complicated, but I can explain-"

"I don't think it's that complicated," Emily spat, cutting him off. "You're Mr. Big Man on Campus, and you can't be seen with losers like me, so you're an ass to them in front of your friends."

Aaron glared at her, and for a second, Emily was actually scared. "Look," he said again, only this time his voice was harsh. "I wouldn't expect you to understand. You've moved around a lot, and you obviously don't understand how high school works. Because of that, I'll give you some advice: Don't judge me. You don't know a thing about me, and you never will. So don't try to be all high and mighty. You. Don't. Know. Me."

Emily actually took a step back. His words chilled her to the bone. Clearing her throat, she stood up tall, and said with as much confidence as she could muster, "I don't want to know you. You're a jerk who can't think for himself."

Aaron's eyes flashed, and Emily once again felt scared. "_I think_ you're the jerk. You won't survive here." He started walking to the door, looking at her once he reached it. The kindness in his eyes was long gone. "And I don't think I want you to."

With that, he strode from the room. Emily remained standing there, completely frozen. She recalled Penelope's words from yesterday. _"When he is with his friends, he's pretty harsh."_

_No Penelope, _Emily thought sadly. _He's harsh without his friends._

* * *

><p>Aaron walked out of his Chemistry class fuming. That Prentiss girl (he would not refer to her by first name) had no right to judge him. He had been planning to apologize to her, and try to explain what had happened. But she wouldn't even let him explain, accusing him of being a jackass.<p>

_Haley's right. She's a loser. _The thought of his girlfriend actually made him angrier. Prentiss obviously thought Haley controlled what he did. _Well, she doesn't, _he thought. I _make my own decisions. _

He passed by a poster reminding students to sign up for their electives. Haley wanted him to sign up for Acting with her. He really didn't want to, but Haley had begged him to.

Aaron abruptly stopped walking. He was going to sign up for acting only because Haley _told_ him to. He felt sick. That was what Prentiss assumed was the nature of their relationship. She thought Haley thought for him.

_No, _he thought. _That's not gonna happen. _

He sat stiff and tense in his seat all through History. Will was giving him weird looks, and he whispered, "You okay?"

_No, _Aaron thought. "Yeah," he muttered. "Just got a headache."

Will didn't look convinced, but Aaron didn't care. As soon as the bell rang, he shot out of his seat and made his way to the guidance office. It was empty save for the secretaries. He would have thought more people would be there, but then he remembered he basically ran from History.

The secretary eyed him. "Here for electives?"

Aaron could only nod.

"Name?"

"Aaron Hotchner," he said breathlessly.

"Which elective do you want?"

"Psychology."

**A/N: I really wanted to post this as soon as I could, so here it is! I know a lot of you wanted Aaron to apologize and everything, but don't worry. He will get better soon. I'm trying my best to speed things up so we can get to some exciting parts, so sorry if you think some parts are dragging. I wish I could tell you how many chapters there will be, but I don't even know. I have 8 chapters written now. **

**Thank you so much for all your encouragment and reviews! You guys are truly amazing. Thank you, and please keep reviewing and giving me feedback! :)**


	6. Saturday Nights

BAU High School

Chapter 6: Saturday Nights

That Saturday night, Aaron was on his was to picking Haley up for JJ's party. She had given him strict instructions to be at her house at eight o'clock. He had been reluctant to immediately promise to do as she wished. Prentiss's words had echoed in his head for the rest of the week.

_"You're a jerk who can't think for himself." _

He resented that. He could think for himself. He did it all the time.

Aaron shook his head. Why was he spending so much time thinking about Prentiss? _She isn't worth it, _he told himself over and over. It was like a mantra. _She isn't worth it. She isn't worth it. _No matter how many times he said it though, he couldn't help but get the feeling she was.

He pulled up to Haley's large house, and vowed to himself not to think about Prentiss for the rest of the night. He was with Haley, and she already hated Prentiss enough.

Before he could climb out of his truck, Haley was running from the house. Her blonde hair flew out behind her, and her pink pencil skirt showed off her long legs very nicely. Aaron was awestruck by her beauty.

"Go, go, go!" she cried as she leapt into the car, giving him a sloppy kiss on the cheek.

"Uh, okay…" he said, quickly putting the car in drive. "May I ask why you're in such a hurry?"

Haley rolled her eyes. "It's stupid," she said with a shrug. "My parents were being stupid. They almost didn't let me come."

"So you just ran out the door before they could stop you?" Aaron asked with a sly grin.

"Yup!" she replied cheerfully.

"That's my girl."

Haley giggled and turned up the music. Justin Bieber blared through the speakers. She immediately let out a squeal and began to sing along. Aaron suppressed a groan. He hated Justin Bieber. He just didn't understand why some girls were so in love with him and his hair. The only reason he listened to the singer was because of Haley.

"…_.Who doesn't think for himself."_

Aaron felt his hand reach toward the radio and turn Justin off. Haley whipped around to face him.

"What are you doing?" she asked sweetly. Too sweetly. That meant she was angry.

"I just don't want to listen to Justin Bieber now," he replied slowly. For a second, he thought she was going to throw a fit, but she just sat back in her seat with an annoyed look on her face.

"Fine," she said dismissively. "Your car, you pick."

Aaron was surprised she gave in so quickly. He surfed through various radio sations before settling on a fast rock song. Haley frowned, but didn't say anything about it. Instead she asked, "Did you sign up for your elective?"

He hesitated slightly before saying, "I did."

She grinned. "Perfect. Acting is going to be so much fun."

Aaron cleared his throat before saying, "I didn't sign up for Acting."

This time, she looked a mixture of two things: surprised and furious. Surprised because she assumed he would listen to her. Furious because he didn't.

"What did you sign up for then?" she said through clenched teeth.

"Psychology," he said matter-of-factly.

The car was silent as Haley processed this. "Psychology," she said slowly. She was quiet for another moment. "May I ask why?" That sweet voice was present again.

"I just wanted to try it. It sounded interesting." He looked at his girlfriend, who was staring stonily out the window. "Is that a problem?"

"No," she said coldly. "Not at all."

They remained silent for the rest of the thirty minute drive. Aaron felt bad that he had made her so upset, so after awhile, he allowed her to put her own music on. He wanted nothing more than for the car ride to end.

Finally it did. They pulled up to JJ's lake house, where the party was already in full swing. Aaron opened the door for Haley like a true gentleman. She leapt out of the car, and grabbed his hand. She plastered a big smile on her face, and made her way to the entrance, dragging Aaron with her. This was normal for them: They would fight in private, then pretend nothing was wrong in front of others.

"HALEY!" JJ shrieked as soon as she saw her best friend walk in. She pulled herself out of Will's arms and gave Haley a big hug as if they hadn't seen each other in years. Will made his way over to Aaron and gave him a look that said "Girls." Aaron laughed and nodded in agreement.

"Hey Aaron," JJ greeted him after she finished talking to Haley.

"Hey," he said as well. "Nice party," he added, gesturing to the room, which was full of seniors and some really cool juniors. The latest party tunes blared through the huge speakers in the corner of the room. A long table had been set up with food and drinks. Aaron noticed some beer bottles present. He knew Will snuck those in. JJ would never drink.

"Thanks," she said with a grin. "My parents think it's just a few girlfriends sleeping over."

"But there are boys here," Will said in a teasing voice. "You naughty girl." He leaned close and captured her lips in a slow kiss. Haley reached up and pulled Aaron in for a kiss as well.

When both couples were done, JJ looked at Haley. "We need to figure out what we are going to do about that Emily girl."

Aaron's stomach lurched.

"Ugh, I know!" Haley rolled her eyes. "She is seriously starting to piss me off. She cut in front of me in the hallway yesterday! Who does that?"

"Then whatever we do, it has to be good," JJ said deviously. Aaron felt sick. He knew JJ and Haley and what they were capable of. They could be incredibly mean when they wanted to.

_I should warn her, _he began to think before Prentiss's words echoed in his head once again.

"_I don't want to know you."_

Anger began to bubble in his chest, and before he knew it, he heard himself say, "I want in."

Haley and JJ stopped talking and looked at him in surprise. "You what?" Haley asked dumbly.

"I want to help you embarrass Emily Prentiss," he said quickly, before he lost his nerve. "She thinks she's better than everyone because she's moved around a lot. It's annoying."

"I don't know…." JJ said slowly, but Haley put her hand up to stop her friend.

"No, wait," she said. "We could use him." She gave him a beautiful smile, and Aaron knew he was forgiven for their fight earlier.

Now he just had to get rid of the mounting feeling of guilt.

* * *

><p>Saturday night was usually a boring night for Emily. With the first few high schools, they weren't. Emily would actually have friends to hang out with. But every time she moved, she made less and less friends, to the point where she would never do anything on the weekends. Some Saturdays involved work events for her mother's job that she was forced to go to, and act like the perfect daughter. It was nauseating.<p>

Emily knew this Saturday night would be no different, so she prepared herself for a night of endless TV. She made her way downstairs, intent on getting some ice cream for her night. She walked into the kitchen and froze. Her parents, Elizabeth and Charles, stood in the middle of the room. Her mother looked ready to go to a fancy dinner party, wearing a long black dress with pearls around her neck. Emily's father looked the same, wearing a freshly pressed tuxedo.

Her heart sank. _Please don't make me go._ She honestly didn't know anything about a dinner party, but with the look her mother was giving her, it was clear Emily's dark jeans and black sweatshirt were not proper attire.

"Emily," her mother said. "Go get changed."

"Mother, do I have to?" she begged. "I don't feel up to going."

"It doesn't matter whether you 'feel up to it'," she said sternly. "You're going."

"It's not like you have plans," her father added.

"But I wasn't told ahead of time," Emily said weakly. "I don't have any nice outfits."

"I dry-cleaned that nice pink dress for you," Elizabeth said.

Emily struggled to think of _some_ excuse when suddenly the phone rang. She all but dove for it.

"Prentiss residence," she gasped.

"Is this Emily Prentiss?" a familiar voice said on the other end.

"Yes…."

"Oh, hi! It's Penelope Garcia."

Emily almost cried with relief. "Oh, hey, Penelope," she said loudly, watching her parents raise their eyebrows.

"So are you busy tonight?" Penelope asked in a bubbly voice.

"No," she replied immediately.

"Great! Do you want to come over to my house and watch movies? Derek and Spencer will be here too."

"I would love to," Emily said in relief. She got the address from her friend and hung up. Turning to her parents, she said, "I actually do have plans tonight." She then ran from the room before her parents could say anything.

* * *

><p>Fifteen minutes later, Emily was pulling up in front of the Garcia house. Her parents had gotten her a car when they moved there, even though Emily insisted she didn't need one. The school was right down the street from their house, and she hadn't counted on making friends that actually wanted to hang out with her.<p>

She rang the doorbell, waiting for someone to open the door. It flew open a second later, revealing Penelope, who was wearing colorful pajamas.

"Emily!" she cried, pulling her in for a hug. Emily was so surprised she almost didn't hug back. She managed to give a feeble squeeze before Penelope pulled away.

"Come on in! Spence and Derek are already here." She led Emily down a long hallway lined with picture frames to a large living room. There was a comfortable looking leather couch with several throw pillows and a glass coffee table with a bowl of popcorn sitting on it. The flat screen TV completed the room.

Emily immediately felt right at home. The pillows at her house had yet to be unpacked, so the couch was bare.

"Hey Emily," Spencer waved from his seat on the couch. Derek waved as well from the floor. He sat wedged between the couch and coffee table, eating handfuls of popcorn. She smiled at them both and flopped on the couch.

"Thank you so much for inviting me Penelope," she said. "My parents were this close to forcing me to go to a stupid dinner party."

"Ugh," Penelope said, wrinkling her nose. "That sounds awful."

"They are."

"How may have to been to?" Spencer asked interestedly.

"Way too many," Emily said with a dry chuckle.

"You poor girl," Penelope said sympathetically. "Hey!" she yelled suddenly, smacking Derek on the arm. "Stop eating the popcorn!"

Derek let out a surprised yelp and dropped the popcorn he had been holding. "Ah! I'm sorry!"

Emily could barely contain her laughter. She looked at Spencer to see he was struggling as well. That caused her to lose it, and she burst out laughing. Spencer began laughing as well, and before long, the four of them were holding their sides.

Emily had never felt happier.

**A/N: Hello my dear readers! As I often say, thank you to everyone who has shown support for this story. I am so happy everyone seems to be enjoying it. The Story Stats page on my account hasn't been working for the past few days, has anyone else's not been working? I use that to see how many people are reading the story (Obviously). The only way I can see if people are reading is if you post a review, so please do so! They make my day, and I really appreciate you guys giving me feeback! :) :)**


	7. Psychology

BAU High School

Chapter 7: Psychology

Next Monday morning, Emily found herself actually looking forward to school. Well, parts of it. She was excited to see her friends (she still couldn't believe it) again, and Monday meant the first day of Psychology. She knew Spencer and Derek were taking it, which mean another class with her friends. Emily had sixth period History with Spencer, and fifth period English Literature with Derek already.

Psychology was the last period of the day. However, to get to that, she had to get through the rest of the day. She had to deal with seeing Aaron in Chemistry first. Luckily for her, it seemed like they had an unspoken agreement between them: They didn't talk to each other. That was perfectly fine with her.

At lunch she sat with Spencer, Penelope, and Derek, of course. Penelope and Derek were at the table when she walked up with Spencer.

"Hello my lovelies," Penelope said when they sat down.

"Hey," Emily said tiredly.

"How was Chemistry this morning?" Penelope asked worriedly. Emily had told her all about her encounter with Aaron from the other week.

"Fine," she shrugged. "We are just going to remain silent whenever we are near each other." Derek laughed at this, but stopped when Penelope elbowed him.

"Sorry," he muttered.

Emily shook her head. "Don't be. I'm not upset by it."

Everyone kept their mouths shut, but they knew she was bothered by it. Based on how her and Aaron's conversation went, they knew she had to be hurting in some way.

Derek knew Aaron could be really mean, but when he heard about how mean he had been to Emily, he wanted to punch the other guy in the face.

Emily looked around at her friends and saw their doubtful looks. "Guys, seriously, I'm fine."

They all shrugged and went back to their lunches.

* * *

><p>Finally the bell rang, signaling the end of History. Spencer and Emily said goodbye to Penelope, who was off to Computer Science, and hurried down the hall. It was finally time for Psychology.<p>

They met Derek in front of the classroom. He grinned once he saw them.

"Ready for the best class of senior year?" he asked when they walked up.

"The best class?" Emily said doubtfully. "What if it sucks?"

"It won't," Spencer said quickly. "Jason Gideon is teaching it. He's one of the best psychiatrists out there." He began to tell them about all of their teacher's accomplishments. They knew better than to stop him. Emily had learned early on that Spencer could get very excited about certain things.

The three of them walked into the classroom and picked seats in the front row. Derek said he usually didn't pick seats up front, but Spencer was so excited, he did it for him. Another thing Emily had picked up on was their brotherly relationship. She could tell it was a very good thing for Spencer.

The teacher was missing, and here were only four other kids in the classroom when they first walked in. As the beginning of class got closer, more and more students walked in. Eventually there was only one more desk available in the back.

"Hmmm," Spencer murmured.

"What's up, kid?" Derek asked.

"The amount of desks is equal to the number of students in the class," he said, eyeing the empty desk. "Someone isn't here."

Almost as if his words had caused him to appear, the final student walked in. Emily's stomach dropped to the center of the earth when she saw who it was.

Aaron Hotchner.

_No, no, no!_

* * *

><p>Aaron was beyond nervous for Psychology. He didn't even know why. He was usually so confident.<p>

Maybe it was because he had never done something like this before. Every year, he chose his elective with Will. But this year, Will wanted Woodshop. Aaron wanted to take something different than what they usually chose.

_Psychology is definitely different, _he thought to himself. As soon as the bell rang at the end of English Literature, he waved goodbye to Will, and made his way to the Psychology room on the third floor.

_Stop being so worried, _he told himself. _You'll like this class. You've always found it interesting. It will look good on college applications. _He tried to convince himself in multiple ways as the classroom got nearer and nearer. Once he made it to the door, he felt fine, even excited for the class. However, that good feeling disappeared once he actually walked in and saw who was sitting in the front row.

Spencer Reid.

And Derek Morgan.

And _Emily Prentiss._

_Nuh uh. No way. I can't do this._ Anger filled his body before some other feeling seeped through. Guilt. His scheming with Haley and JJ from Saturday came to the forefront of his mind.

Prentiss turned and looked at him. Her gaze turned into one of pure loathing, and Aaron felt his guilt go away. He willed himself to look away, and he took the last seat in the back. Prentiss had thankfully stopped glaring at him. Derek Morgan hadn't, but Aaron really didn't care.

Emily, meanwhile, was fuming. This class was supposed to be the best part of her day. Having Aaron Hotchner there would ruin it! Hell, it _did _ruin it already.

Spencer nudged her. "Hey," he said softly. "You okay?"

She put on a fake smile. "Yeah, I'm fine." He didn't look convinced, but before he could press her for more information, the classroom door shut. The whole class turned their eyes to the front, and saw their teacher standing at the front of the room.

"Hello," he said curtly. "I am your teacher, Jason Gideon. You don't have to call me Mr. Gideon, just Gideon will be fine." He reached into his black briefcase and pulled out a stack of papers. He began distributing them to the students in the front row for them to pass back.

Emily read over the paper once she got it. It was a simple syllabus, detailing what they would be covering in the class, the expectations, the grading system, and so on. Spencer had finished reading it before Gideon was done passing them out, and was staring raptly at the front once again.

After passing out all the papers, Gideon went back to the front. He studied them all intently before saying, "Psychology is a complicated subject. The human mind is a complicated thing. This class will not teach you everything about those things. It will only give you a broad understanding. If you enjoy it enough, you can choose to continue to study it.

"I don't expect all of you to love this class," he continued, pacing now. "I'm not an easy teacher. I'm not going to start being one. If you think the class is tough, then you aren't ready to start studying psychology. It's as simple as that."

He stopped here and looked at the class. He looked at Spencer, and a curious look crossed his face. _That kid looks like he's twelve….._

The look came back when he looked at Aaron a few seconds later. _Is that the infamous football player that Rossi is so crazy about? What's his name… Hotchner. That's it._

Gideon went over the syllabus and began talking about the human brain. The whole class was riveted, even Derek, who sometimes lost interest in classes. Spencer was loving it, of course. He was taking notes of everything Gideon said, even if it wasn't related to the class.

Emily found it immensely interesting as well. She quickly forgot about the boy sitting at the back of the room. He too was enjoying the class. He was happy he chose it, even if _she_ was in the class as well.

When there was fifteen minutes left in the class, Gideon announced he was splitting them into pairs. "Ten years ago, I was a part of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. It's a group of elite profilers, people who can get into the minds of criminals and anticipate their next move. While in the BAU, as we called it, I had a partner by the name of Max Ryan. And while he could annoy me like no one else can, he was great to work with. We accomplished a lot of things during our time there.

"Because of that experience, I believe that having a partner to brainstorm and discuss things with is a very good thing, and it will be very good for this class in particular. So," he said, clapping his hands together, "I will assign each of you a partner. Throughout this class, the two of you will be like study buddies. You will work on projects together, though I may allow you to pick your partners every once in awhile. You don't have to love your partner, but you must work together."

At that, he began to walk around the room, pairing groups together with no apparent pattern. "You," he murmured, pointing to Spencer. "And you." He pointed to Derek. It seemed like they were good friends, and considering how Spencer looked so young and vulnerable, he would need a friend.

Eventually there were only a few students left. Emily's heart was pounding. While there were plenty of other students still available, there was a certain boy she did _not_ want to be partnered with.

"You," Gideon said, pointing to Aaron. He looked around the room with a critical eye, and every time he seemed to hesitate over someone, Emily thought, _Yes, pick him to be his partner. Anyone else but-_

"You," Gideon said, pointing straight at Emily.

**A/N: And so the plot thickens! Thank you to everyone who has done anything to this story. I never thought I would reach 60 reviews! It's crazy! I'm glad that everyone was against Aaron scheming with Haley and JJ in the last chapter. Don't worry, he'll become the Hotch you all know and love soon (well, as a teenager). Thanks again for everything, and please keep it up! :)**


	8. Plans

BAU High School

Chapter 8: Plans

As soon as the bell rang and Gideon finished assigning partners, Aaron and Emily rushed over to their teacher.

"I can't work with her," he said the same time she said, "I can't work with him." They both glared at each other.

Gideon sat at his desk and eyed them warily. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Assign us new partners," they said at the same time. Gideon raised his eyebrows.

"You seem to be in sync," he said with a slight chuckle. "Besides, I've already partnered everyone up. There's no one left."

"So move some around," Aaron said quickly before Emily could say anything.

"Why can't you two work together? Give me one good reason."

"She's a brat."

"He's a jerk."

Gideon almost laughed, but restrained himself. "I'm sorry, but that's not good enough. You'll have to work together." He then picked up a book and began to read it, signaling the end of the conversation.

Both teens knew they weren't getting out of their situation, so they silently left the classroom. Derek and Spencer were waiting for Emily outside. Aaron stopped her before she crossed the hall to them.

"Look," he said bluntly. "I don't want to work with you any more than you want to work with me. But I do want a good grade, so-"

"If you think I'm going to do all the work for you, you are sorely mistaken," Emily said, cutting him off.

"I wasn't thinking that," he said through clenched teeth. "I was going to say we will work together only when necessary, and no longer than that."

"Works for me."

"Good," he said. He turned down the hallway and walked away without looking back. Emily let out a groan.

"Why me?" she moaned. Spencer and Derek walked over to her with sympathetic looks on their faces.

"You okay?" Spencer asked nervously.

"No!" Emily burst out. "Of all the people in the class, I have to be partnered with _him._ I hate him! I can't stand him! I-"

"Whoa," Derek said, holding his hand up. "Breathe. Relax. You don't have to be married to him, or anything. You just need to tolerate each other enough to get work done."

"Easy for you to say," Emily snapped. "You two are partnered together."

"What," Derek said. "You think I'm _happy_ to be partnered with Genius Boy here?" He was teasing of course, but Spencer's reaction was enough to brighten Emily's mood a bit.

"Oh, and it's a walk in the park for me?" Spencer said incredulously. "Yeah, right!"

Emily found herself laughing, despite her bad mood. The three of them began walking down the hall.

"Thanks, guys," Emily said with a smile. "That did make me feel a bit better."

"Anytime, Princess," Derek said. "Anytime."

* * *

><p>JJ hurried through the school hallways, cursing her locker location. Her last class of the day, Public Speaking, was on the second floor, but her locker was on the third. She also had soccer practice right after school. She was the captain, so being early was a must.<p>

Usually she wouldn't be rushing, but because it was the first day of the class, it ran a few minutes late. She was turning a corner on the third floor when she rammed into someone.

"Watch where you're going, you-" she started to swear at whoever it was when she realized it was Aaron.

"Oh, Aaron, I'm sorry," she said quickly.

"It's fine," he said in a slightly harsh voice. JJ frowned in confusion.

"What's up with you?"

He sighed and said, "It's Psychology."

"Hate it already?" JJ asked. She knew if Haley found out she would insist he should have taken Acting every time she saw him. JJ actually felt bad for him.

"No, the class is great, except we were put into partners for work purposes, and I'm stuck with Emily Prentiss." He said her name like it was a swear word.

JJ immediately felt even worse for him. "Oh, that's rough. She's probably so stupid that you'll get a terrible grade." Aaron didn't have the heart to tell her Emily seemed really smart.

"She already accused me of forcing her to do all the work," he said angrily.

"Ask your teacher for a new partner," JJ suggested. He shook his head.

"I already tried. He said we had to suck it up."

"Wait," JJ said slowly. "This could work." Her mind was racing at the sudden possibilities that just popped up.

"In what universe could this _possibly_ work?" Aaron asked in confusion.

"For mine and Haley's plan to ruin her," JJ said absentmindedly, still busy thinking.

"You don't want me to get close to her, do you?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "But you could lure her somewhere."

"I don't follow."

"You text her telling her to meet you somewhere, only instead of you, Haley and I will be there."

Aaron was silent. The small feeling of guilt had returned, though it was smaller than before. Finally, he said, "That could work. Just let me know where and when."

JJ gave him a devious smile. "Nice working with you."

Aaron smiled back, though his was half-hearted. "Right back at you."

They both went their separate ways, Aaron down towards the locker rooms and JJ to her locker. Once she was there, she pulled out her phone and sent Haley a text.

_Just got a brilliant idea for our plan. I know how Aaron will factor in as well._

She waited for a reply as she grabbed a few books, and headed down the nearby stairs. She was on the second floor landing when her phone buzzed.

_Perfect. I can't wait to hear all about it. I'm sure it's fantastic. ;)_

JJ smiled and pushed down the miniscule feeling of guilt that appeared every time she and Haley planned something. She had did it all the time, so why she still got the feeling was beyond her.

_This isn't even the worst thing I've done, _she thought. Deep down, she knew it was awful, but she had so much fun, so why did it matter?

* * *

><p>"Thanks a lot, Jason," Rossi grumbled to Gideon in the teacher's lounge after football practice.<p>

"What did I do this time?" Gideon said in an annoyed voice.

"You got my star player all messed up in the head!" Rossi cried.

"What?" Gideon said, obviously confused.

Rossi rolled his eyes, and then said, "You partnered him up with some girl he doesn't like. He was still upset about it at practice, and it showed on the field."

Now Gideon rolled his eyes. "That's stupid. If he can't deal with it, he should drop the class." He started walking to the door, but he paused halfway across the room. He turned and stared at Rossi.

"There was something between them. During the class, I mean. I feel like they were drawn to each other, or something."

"Cut the profiler crap," Rossi scoffed. "Aaron clearly hates the girl, and he's dating Haley Brooks, the cheerleader."

Gideon shrugged. "I'm just telling you what I noticed." With that, he left the room.

**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm sorry for another short chapter, but the last two chapters I wrote are a whole lot longer, so stay tuned for that. THANK YOU to everyone who has reviewed/alerted/favorited this story. You guys are truly amazing. I never thought I would reach 78 reviews in just two weeks! I love hearing from all of you, so please keep it up, and give me some feedback! You're all fantastic! :)**


	9. Working Together

BAU High School

Chapter 9: Working Together

Aaron and Emily managed to avoid working with each other for the rest of the week. For awhile, it didn't even seem like they were partners.

But in the third week of school, one week before the homecoming game, they were forced to work together. Gideon assigned them a small research paper about the brain and discoveries about it.

"You _must _work with your partner on this," he said, giving Aaron and Emily a significant look.

Emily barely suppressed a groan at that. She had been doing such a good job at avoiding Aaron, but that now had to come to an end. After class, Aaron walked up to her.

"What period do you have free?" he asked curtly, wanting to get the conversation over with.

"Third," she replied in a similar tone. She didn't understand exactly why he was asking because she was confident he had seen her in the library multiple times during that period.

"Good, I have it then too. We'll work on this paper then, okay?"

Emily wanted to say no, but she knew it wasn't up to her. "Okay." He gave her a small nod and strode away.

The next day, Emily was dreading her free period. It was usually one of her favorite times of the day, but she wasn't looking forward to working with Aaron. Seeing him in Chemistry and Psychology was bad enough.

She walked into the library and started toward her usual table with Spencer when she heard someone hissing her name. Looking toward the back of the room, she saw Aaron sitting at a table in the far corner.

"Don't like sitting up front?" she asked in an annoyed tone when she reached him.

"I prefer the back," he said in a professional tone. That was actually a lie. He honestly didn't care where he sat, he just didn't want to have a lot of people see him with her. Haley already knew about his partner issue, but some underclassmen sometimes liked to cause trouble by spreading rumors.

Emily studied her partner as she sat down opposite him. He was already hunched over several books, and his cramped handwriting covered several sheets of notebook paper.

_Workaholic,_ she thought. _Who knew. _

Aaron looked up at that moment and glared at her. "Well, are you going to do something?" He had a frown on his face, which now seemed like a permanent fixture to his face whenever he was around Emily.

She shot him an annoyed look and pulled one of the textbooks towards her. Pulling out a piece of notebook paper, she began to take notes. They worked in silence for fifteen minutes.

After those fifteen minutes, Emily dropped her pencil and stretched her arms out. Aaron looked up at her, his eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

Rolling her eyes, she replied, "Stretching, what does it look like I'm doing?"

His eyes narrowed even more, and Emily had a feeling that Aaron Hotchner's glare could make any weak person run the other way.

"Just get back to work," he muttered and he began to write again.

Emily frowned at that. She hated it when people tried to boss her around, especially boys. "You can't tell me what to do."

Aaron set his pencil down and slowly raised his eyes to look at her. She braced herself for some sort of verbal abuse, but all she got was, "Do you want to work together any longer than we have to?"

"No," she snorted. "But this doesn't exactly qualify as working together." At his confused look, she elaborated. "Gideon probably expects partners to actually talk with each other about the assignment."

Aaron slowly sat back in his chair. "Okay," he said with a shrug. "Go ahead and talk." He shot her a look that said _You suggested it._

She blinked. "Um, okay…" She looked at the assignment paper. "How should we divide this up?"

He looked at his own paper. "You can write the first paragraph and the conclusion. I'll do the introduction and the second paragraph." He picked up his pencil again and continued to write. Emily frowned.

"Don't you want to know what I'm going to write my paragraph about?"

Aaron let out an annoyed sigh. "Yeah, sure." After a second, he said, "We should make an outline. You know, so we keep track of everything."

Emily was surprised that he actually had a good suggestion. "Okay."

The two of them made a rough outline for their paper. They kept their words to a minimum, and there were times when they both disagreed on things. Finally, they had it all written out.

Emily took a deep breath. Working with Aaron was more stressful then she thought it would be. Glancing at the clock, she saw they still had fifteen minutes left in the period. She turned and was about to suggest that they go look for computers to type their paper when she saw him packing his bag up.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

He shot her an are-you-stupid look. "I'm packing up. What does it look like I'm doing?" he said, throwing her previous words back in her face.

"We still have fifteen minutes."

He looked at the clock, then looked at her. "So?"

Emily raised her eyebrows. "We could be working."

He rolled his eyes. "I told you, I don't want to work with you any longer than I have to. We got everything we needed to get done together done, so there's no need to work together."

Tough skin or not, Emily was still stung by his words. He couldn't wait to get away from her.

_Wow, I guess he does hate me._ She was surprised at how upset that made her.

She shook her head. "Alright, fine. Get out of here."

"You can't tell me what to do." Once again, he threw her words back in her face. He had a triumphant look on his face that made her want to punch him.

"I'm only allowing you to do what you wanted to," she said coolly, trying not to sound as hurt as she felt.

The triumphant look left Aaron's face, and the serious frown returned. "You're right. I want nothing more than to leave." With that, he grabbed his bag and strode from the library, leaving a speechless Emily behind.

* * *

><p>JJ watched Aaron leave the library from her seat on the couch. She quickly jumped up and followed him.<p>

"Aaron!" she called. He stopped midway down the hall and turned to face her. He looked exhausted, like he had been working for hours.

_Is she really that aggravating? _JJ wondered.

"Hey, JJ," he said tiredly. "What's up?"

"Just wanted to know how working with Prentiss went." All of their friends had taken to calling Emily by her last name ever since Aaron had that fight with her in the Chemistry room.

He closed his eyes. "I don't really want to discuss it."

JJ pouted. "Oh, come on. It can't be that bad."

Aaron shook his head. "It is. She's insufferable. She doesn't like agreeing to anything I say, and she thinks I'm an idiot." His words came out in a rush, as if he just needed to get them all out. "She's paranoid Gideon will find out if we don't talk at all, which means I can't just sit there and ignore her."

He stopped his mini-rant there and looked at JJ. She was staring at him with wide eyes. "Wow," she said in awe. "I've never really seen you so…. Stressed."

He let out a humorless chuckle. "Well, Prentiss is a stressful person."

He started walking again, and JJ hurried to keep up with him. "Well, maybe she won't be as stressful after Haley and I are through with her."

Aaron shot her a sidelong glance. "And when is that happening?"

"Next week," JJ said happily.

Aaron stopped walking. "Next week?" he repeated. "So soon?"

"It's not that soon," she scoffed as Aaron resumed walking. "Besides, the sooner we do it, the sooner she stops being such a pain."

He was silent. JJ looked at him and saw him biting his lip.

"Oh, no," she said.

He turned his head to face her. "What?"

"Don't you dare back out," she said.

"I wasn't going to back out," he said defensively.

"You looked guilty."

He was silent again. JJ let out a frustrated sigh. "Look," she said. "Obviously Prentiss doesn't care about your feelings. She called you a jerk, right?" Aaron only nodded. "Anyone who knows you knows you're not a jerk."

Aaron didn't tell her that only his friends didn't consider him a jerk.

"JJ, relax," he said. "I'm not backing out. Next week, you and Haley do your thing. Just let me know when and where, like I said before."

JJ grinned. "Perfect." They walked in silence for a few moments when she added, "Haley wouldn't let you back out anyway."

She didn't see the frown that crossed Aaron's face.

**A/N: I hope this works because I've heard that new posts have been having some issues. This was another short one, but don't worry, the next few will be much longer. You guys are the best in terms of reviewing and such. I'm so close to 100 (I really can't believe it) and if you guys helped me reach it, I would be eternally grateful. :) **


	10. Revenge

**Here's a long one for everyone, I hope it meets everyone's expectations.**

BAU High School

Chapter 10: Revenge

If JJ and Haley were good at anything, it was their planning skills. They were fantastic at sorting out little details for big things. The weekend before the big homecoming game, they were busy getting their master plan for Prentiss all straightened out. Aaron didn't see Haley all weekend, and that worried him.

_What exactly are they planning? _That was what he was asking himself all weekend. It couldn't be good.

But no matter how much he begged Haley to tell him, she wouldn't say anything.

"You don't have to worry about anything except for texting Prentiss the location," she said when he asked her on Friday. When he pressed for more information, she just kissed him, preventing him for having any coherent thoughts.

He even tried asking Will. Aaron knew that the odds of his friend knowing anything were pretty slim considering how private JJ was, but he was desperate. He wanted to know just what he was getting into.

"Sorry, man," Will said when Aaron asked him Saturday night. They were hanging out at Will's house for the night. "JJ won't tell me anything."

"Figured," Aaron muttered. The more Haley and JJ schemed, the bigger Aaron's guilt became. Now, he didn't like Prentiss. Far from it. But he couldn't help but feel some sort of remorse for whatever prank was about to commence. He had seen what Haley and JJ were capable of, and it wasn't pretty.

Thursday afternoon, Haley waited for him to finish football practice. This one went longer than normal due to the homecoming game the following night. Aaron was beyond exhausted. Rossi ran them hard, and Aaron, being the captain, had to work the hardest out of all of them.

After taking shoving his dirty practice jersey into his locker, he went back out to the field. Haley was waiting for him on the bleachers. Her cheer practice got out thirty minutes earlier than his.

Once he reached her, he leaned in for a kiss, but she gently pushed him away.

"Ewww, you're all sweaty and gross." At Aaron's indignant look, she said, "Talk to me when you've showered."

As he rolled his eyes, a crazy idea popped into his head. _Would Prentiss have been disgusted too? _Aaron was so stunned by that thought he almost didn't hear Haley talking.

"….Should be all set for tomorrow," she was saying.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "What will be all set for tomorrow?" he asked blankly.

His girlfriend shot him an annoyed look. "Mine and JJ's plan for Prentiss." She said the other girl's name with venom.

Aaron's stomach dropped. For awhile, he had hoped they had given up on that. Prentiss wasn't a completely terrible partner. She was actually pretty smart. They had worked to together almost every day that week, and while she still annoyed the crap out of him, he couldn't deny that she was intelligent.

Haley was completely unaware of Aaron's internal battle. She grabbed his hand and basically dragged him toward the parking lot.

"All you have to do is text her and tell her to meet you in room 219 tomorrow during third period. It's empty during that time."

Aaron frowned. "I thought you had History during that time."

Haley burst out laughing. "Yeah, so? It's not like I've never cut class before. Besides, if I get caught, Principle Strauss won't give me detention. She likes me too much."

As much as he hated to admit it, that was true. Strauss favored all the athletes at the school. She wouldn't even dream of giving Haley detention.

"Alright, I'll text her," he said somewhat reluctantly.

"Do it now!" Haley said excitedly. They had reached Aaron's car. He automatically pulled open her door for her after putting their backpacks in the backseat. Once he was settled in his own seat, he saw that Haley had pulled out his cell phone and was holding it out to him.

_Now? _He really didn't want to send that text. He considered lying and saying that he didn't have Prentiss's number, but that would be pointless. Haley already knew she had given it to him for study purposes.

Aaron hesitated. "Haley…"

"Oh, come on, Aaron!" she said exasperatedly. "It's not that hard!"

"If I do, will you tell me what you have planned?"

Now Haley hesitated. She looked at the phone, then at Aaron. Finally, she said, "Fine." She leaned forward and whispered her master plan into his ears.

Aaron's eyes widened as he listened. He felt sick. Guilt overcame him. How could he possibly do this?

Haley pulled back. "It's brilliant, right?" She had a self-satisfied smirk on her face. She held out the phone again. "Now text her."

He was frozen in his seat. What they were planning would crush Prentiss into a vulnerable little girl. He just knew it.

_I can't do this, _he realized.

Haley was still waiting. "Hello? Aaron, are you with me? Send the freaking text!"

He found himself shaking his head.

"No?" Haley said in a quiet, dangerous voice. "Why not?"

"It's too mean," he whispered. He realized this made him sound like a loser, but he didn't care at this point. He may not like her, but Aaron couldn't do this to Prentiss.

He thought she would force him to do it somehow, but instead she said, "Fine. I'll do it."

"What?" he cried, spinning to face her. She was already composing the text.

"Instead of meeting in the library, meet me in room 219 tomorrow during third period so we can work on Psychology. It will be empty," she said, reading it out loud. She paused. "How would you write your name at the end of the text?"

Aaron was frozen again. If he even tried to grab the phone, she would press send. She would press send even if he didn't answer.

"Just Aaron," he said faintly.

"Great," she said. After a second, she leaned back in her seat. "Done and done."

* * *

><p>Emily was confused. Last night, she got a text from Aaron telling her to meet in room 219 instead of the library. While that wasn't a big deal, she was still curious as to why he wanted to meet there. When she tried texting him to ask why, she didn't get a response.<p>

_That was weird, _Emily thought to herself as she walked into Chemistry Friday morning. She knew Aaron hated talking to her, but it wasn't hard to send her a simple reply back.

_Whatever, _she thought. _I can ask him now. _

But as fate would have it, she couldn't. Aaron's seat was empty when she first walked in. _Maybe he's sick. _Then she wouldn't have to go to that classroom.

Once again, however, she was wrong. Aaron walked into class right as the bell rang. Mr. Danielson was already starting the class, so Emily couldn't ask him.

She glanced at her table mate. He looked like a wreck. His eyes had dark circles around them, as if he hadn't slept the night before. The poor boy looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

_Maybe he does. _Emily didn't care about football, but she knew everyone else did. She was perfectly aware that the homecoming game was that night. There was a dance after, but Emily wasn't going to it or the game. She was hanging out with Penelope.

The bell rang at the end of class, and Emily turned to talk to Aaron, but he was already gone. He had jumped up as soon as the bell rang and sprinted from the classroom.

_Okay, something is definitely up. _He seemed overly jumpy. She just shook her head and went to Calculus.

After class, Emily went down to the second floor. She bit her lip as she walked down the hall to room 219. Something felt off about this whole thing, but she couldn't place it.

She found the classroom with no problem. It looked like your typical History classroom. Emily quickly noticed Aaron wasn't there. Frowning, she pulled out her phone to text him when she heard the door shut behind her. Spinning around, her stomach dropped to her feet when she saw Haley and JJ standing in the doorway.

_That asshole _was the only thought running through her head. She had been set up.

"Hello, Emily," Haley said icily. JJ only nodded her head in greeting.

"What are you guys doing here?" Emily asked, even though it was pointless. She knew they were here to get revenge for whatever Emily had done. She wasn't even sure of what she did to get both of them there.

"We wanted to talk to you," Haley said in a fake nice voice. She slowly walked further into the room. JJ stayed closer to the door, probably to prevent Emily from leaving.

"About what?" Emily asked, continuing to play dumb. She was hoping she could stall Haley until she could figure a way out. Sadly, nothing was coming to mind.

"About your place in this school," JJ said from the doorway. She was watching Emily closely. She had to hand it to her. Emily was doing a fantastic job of masking her fear. Right now, she only looked bored and a little bit confused.

Emily turned and looked at JJ. "What about my place?"

"Stop acting like you're so much better than us," Haley snapped. "You're not. You're just a loser who thinks that just because you've been to a thousand schools, you understand them. You don't. You never have. You were a loser at all your past schools too."

Emily stood up straight, and glared at Haley. They couldn't know about her past schools. There was no way. She hadn't even told Penelope about her most embarrassing moments.

"Look," Emily said forcefully. "I know I'm new here and I don't know the people at this school. But I _do _know that you have no right to accuse me of acting like I'm better than you. I'm not trying to be that way. It just comes naturally. People aren't afraid of me," Emily realized that sounded rather cocky, but she really didn't care. She just wanted to leave before they did something terrible to her.

She should have realized that saying those words would only piss Haley off more. The other girl's eyes narrowed, and she looked furious.

"Have a seat," Haley said in the same fake nice voice from before. Emily remained standing. When it became apparent that she wasn't budging, Haley said, "You're choice." She then walked over to a computer in the back that was hooked up to a projector. She bent over the keyboard and slid in a flash drive. After a moment, she pressed a button on the projector, and turned it on.

As it turned on, the computer's picture was projected onto the whiteboard at the front of the room. The only thing on the screen was a few simple words.

"Emily Prentiss's Most Embarrassing Moments," it read.

Emily's heart stopped.

Haley pressed play, and Emily found herself reliving her worst moments. At all her past schools, whenever something bad happened to her, there always seemed to be a video camera to catch it on film.

She saw the class play from her freshman year when she lived in Texas. Her mother had forced her to join, and yet didn't even show up for the show. During the performance, Emily had forgotten her lines in a very important scene. She just stood there, frozen.

She saw the time she had actually gone to a football game, and ended up tripping as she climbed up the bleachers. The worst part was when she practically dragged the entire row down with her. Everyone had been laughing.

There was the winter formal from her sophomore year in Nevada (Again, her mother forced her to go.). One of the cheerleaders (not unlike Haley) "accidentally" knocked punch on Emily's dress. The worst part was the way the boy she had a crush on had laughed at her.

The video went on and on. Emily had remained emotionless for the first five minutes, but after the winter formal clip, she was blinking back tears. How had they found all this? How was it possible?

Haley and JJ watched her closely. Haley was pleased at Emily's reaction. She could see the tears welling up in her eyes. It was perfect. Haley especially liked the part where Emily's crush turned her down. Remembering a heart break like that would stop her from stealing Haley's man. She knew Aaron didn't truly care about Emily, but Haley still didn't like how unwilling he had been to send the text.

JJ, meanwhile, was feeling different. While part of her relished in Emily's discomfort, part of JJ felt (she couldn't believe it) bad for the new girl. When she and Haley had been searching the Internet for embarrassing information on Emily, JJ had discovered that she and Emily had a few things in common. Actually, they had more things in common than Haley and JJ did, which surprised JJ even more.

After what felt like an eternity, the video stopped. Emily sat there, motionless, for a few moments. Then she said in a shaky voice, "Where did you find all of that?"

Haley was happy to hear her voice sound so small and timid. "It wasn't hard. After Principal Strauss gave us the list of your old schools," she grinned at Emily's horrified look when she heard the principal was involved, "We just searched YouTube for videos from those schools."

"And we looked on Facebook and Twitter," JJ chimed in.

Suddenly Emily jumped up. While she still had tears in her eyes, she looked furious. "Alright. Congratulations. You got me. You made me revisit my worst moments. What exactly did that accomplish?"

"It taught you where you belong in this school," Haley said as if Emily was stupid.

Emily shook her head. "If anything, it made me more willing to stand against you."

JJ had seen this coming, and she had warned Haley about it. Haley tilted her head up. "If you continue to fight against us, we will post this vide everywhere. YouTube, Facebook, hell, we'll put it on the school website."

The color drained from Emily's face. She turned her eyes away from Haley, silently admitting defeat. Haley smiled a twisted smile.

"Glad to see you understand."

She pulled out the flash drive and shoved it into her pocket. She walked over to JJ, who was also smiling, though hers was more half-hearted. Emily just continued to stare at the floor.

"Oh, and Prentiss?" Haley asked from the doorway. Emily frowned at the use of her last name, but didn't say anything. Haley was annoyed by her lack of emotion, but her next words got something out of the other girl, which satisfied her.

"Stay away from Aaron," she said coldly. Emily's head snapped up, and she fixed an incredulous look on Haley.

"What makes you think I actually want to be around him?" she spat.

"Have you not seen him? He's gorgeous," Haley said as if it was the most obvious thing in the whole world.

"It doesn't matter how he looks," Emily said, trying to sound more confident than she really was. "He's a coward and a phony. I hate him."

Haley's eyes narrowed. "Do you _want _me to post this video? Because I will."

Emily bowed her head again. "No," she said. She sounded like a little girl.

"Then just stay away from him," Haley said simply. She and JJ left the room, Haley without looking back, JJ with a slightly sympathetic look directed towards Emily.

After they left, Emily collapsed in a chair. Inside, she wanted nothing more than to cry until she couldn't anymore. But she knew she couldn't. She had already shown too much weakness to the girls.

Standing up, she wiped her eyes and slowly walked to the door. The bell rang, signaling the end of the day.

No, it was only the end of third period. Emily couldn't make it through the rest of the day. She just couldn't. It wasn't because she couldn't face JJ and Haley, because she could. She just couldn't face Aaron after what had happened. She had begun to form some sort of trust with him in the week they had worked together. Now that trust was long gone.

_Had he seen the video? _She wondered. _Did he help make it? _Several questions flew around her head, but she didn't want to address them right now. She pulled out her phone and texted Penelope.

_I'm going home. I don't feel well. I'll text you later._

She went to the nurse's office and made up some story about how she felt like she was going to throw up. At first she was reluctant to send Emily home, but Emily must've looked really pathetic because she allowed her to leave.

Emily was halfway across the school lawn when Penelope texted her back.

_I'm sorry to hear that, Gumdrop. Do you want me and the boys to come over after school? We can bring soup. _

At first, Emily was going to say no. She wasn't up for company. But then she realized that this was what friends did. They comforted and helped each other when they were down. Emily hadn't had that in a really long time.

_I would actually love that. I think I need some friends right now._

**A/N: Okay, that was the longest chapter I've written so far for this story, and I'm worried about how it came out, so if you could all give me some feedback, it would be much appreciated. I'm not very good with writing embarrassing moments (or at least that's what I think) so I hope this worked. I also hope that no one thinks I made Emily too vulnerable. **

**Thank you for reading and reviewing, and please keep it up! :)**


	11. Friends and Apologies

BAU High School 

Chapter 11: Friends and Apologies

Aaron felt terrible.

He had been a nervous wreck all day. He got no sleep the previous night. The guilt about Prentiss added to the pressure from the big game made him a person in the verge of a nervous breakdown.

He was surprised at how guilty he felt. It wasn't like he actually sent the text. Haley did. Given, it _was_ his phone. Also, he had agreed to be part of the plan in the first place. If he hadn't, JJ and Haley would have had to think of something different. Maybe by then, he would have gotten the courage to actually _do _something about it. All he had done was tell Haley he wasn't sending the text.

At that moment in time, it had seemed like the perfect thing to do. If he didn't text Prentiss, she wouldn't go to that room and watch that video. Of course, he should have realized that wouldn't stop Haley. She was out for blood.

Aaron hadn't seen the video, and in all honesty, he didn't want to. He really didn't like the thought of watching someone's most embarrassing moments. It didn't seem right.

_It can't be that bad, _Aaron had first thought when Haley told him about it. One person couldn't have that many awkward moments.

Boy, was he wrong.

Haley had told him some of the video's highlights on the way home yesterday. He cringed at the sound of someone taking all of Prentiss's books and hiding them all over the library. The worst one to him was when her crush turned her down. For a second, Aaron thought his heart actually broke a bit when he heard that.

"How did you get all this?" Aaron asked in a daze when Haley finally stopped talking about it.

"JJ and I asked Principal Strauss," she said as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

"And she just gave you her records?" he asked incredulously.

"Of course. She loves us." Aaron knew this, but he didn't know just how much Strauss loved them.

That night, Aaron was struggling with indecision. Should he just let it go, or should he warn Prentiss? For a moment, he was going to do the right thing. He picked up his phone and almost composed the text.

But then he saw a picture of him and Haley from freshmen year. They both looked so young. So innocent. She hadn't been so mean then. And while a lot of things had changed since then, Aaron knew that Haley was still in the one today. And he found himself putting his phone down.

That didn't mean the guilt went away.

He barely got any sleep that night. The next morning, he put off going to Chemistry until the bell rang because he couldn't face Prentiss knowing what he did. An easier solution would have been to just skip school, but with the game after school, that wasn't an option.

Prentiss gave him weird looks all class, but he wouldn't meet her eyes. He couldn't. He knew that if he looked into those brown eyes, guilt would consume him, and he would break down and tell her.

_Why don't you? _A little voice mocked him inside his head. _Save her the humiliation. _

But he couldn't. As soon as the bell rang at the end of class, he shot out of his seat and all but ran to the door. As he got lost in the crowded hallway, all he could think was _I'm a coward._

When third period came around, Aaron's stomach was in knots. Instead of staying inside, he went out to the football field to clear his head. Most students weren't allowed out there during their free periods, but with Aaron being the captain, he had permission.

All period he ran around the field, and threw some balls around lazily. At one point he just flopped on the ground. He lay there until he heard the bell ring. Lunch. With Haley.

For a second, Aaron's stomach twisted at the thought of seeing his girlfriend. It scared him, but he knew why it happened.

He was upset with her.

For the first time in their relationship, Aaron was seriously upset with Haley. He had seen a side of her he didn't really want to see. Now, he _did_ know it existed. He knew how bad she could get. And yet, knowing and seeing were two different things.

He half-heartedly put the footballs away. As he walked back to the school, he saw a person walking out of the corner of his eye. When he focused on the figure, his heart broke.

It was Emily Prentiss.

Walking with her head down as if she was crying.

He was suddenly overcome with the urge to run over and pull her into his arms. He wanted to take away the pain that he had helped cause. He felt beyond terrible.

_Don't be stupid, _the annoying voice in his ear said. _She hates you right now._

As much as it pained him, he knew it was true. If she hadn't hated him before, she certainly did now.

Shaking his head, he walked back to the school, entering through the side entrance. He walked stiffly, as if he was on autopilot, all the way to the lunchroom.

Yes, he was definitely a coward.

Lunch was in full swing when he arrived. He saw Prentiss's friends sitting at their table in the corner. Penelope Garcia looked worried as she read something on her phone. _Did Prentiss text her and tell her about what happened?_ He wondered. It wouldn't surprise him.

Aaron slumped down at his table and was immediately kissed passionately by Haley. He didn't reciprocate it, he just sat there.

Haley pulled back with a worried look in her eyes. "You okay, babe?"

"Just stressed about the game," he heard himself say. _Coward. _

"You'll be fine," Haley said with a dismissive shrug. "Anyway, our plan for revenge went perfectly! Prentiss was in tears!"

She began to detail exactly what had happened. Aaron wished he could tune her out, but he was unsuccessful. He heard everything, from Prentiss's reaction to her newfound hate for Aaron. His gut twisted painfully at that last part.

_I should say something to Haley, _he thought. _I should tell her Prentiss hasn't hurt anyone, that she didn't deserve this._

But all he could muster was quietly saying, "That was a horrible thing to do."

Haley didn't hear him.

* * *

><p>Luckily for Emily, her parents weren't home when she got home, and they wouldn't be home until very late. She unlocked her door, dropped her bag unceremoniously in the hallway, and walked upstairs in a daze. Once she reached her bedroom, she collapsed onto her bed and let the tears fall.<p>

_Again with the showing weakness,_ she thought bitterly. She was alone, so it was okay for the moment.

How long she lay there, she didn't know. She lost track of time. She actually fell asleep for a bit. When she woke up, her alarm clock read 3:15. School had been over for fifteen minutes.

Emily suddenly realized she could hear frantic knocking. For a second, she forgot about who could be there. Then it hit her. Penelope.

Suddenly eager to see her friend, Emily hurried downstairs and flung open the door. Standing on the other side was Penelope, Derek, and Spencer.

"Emily!" Penelope cried, flinging her arms around the other girl. Emily noticed Derek was holding a brown paper bag.

She nodded towards it. "What's that?" Her voice sounded hoarse.

"Chicken soup," Derek said with a smile. "You said you weren't feeling well."

Her heart swelled with her friends' kind gestures. She pulled away from Penelope and offered a sad smile. "Yeah, I'm not, but not in the sick sense. I'll accept the soup though."

She ushered her friends in and took the bag from Derek. The four of them walked into the kitchen, and sat at the island. Penelope insisted that she eat the soup right then. Emily complied and pulled out a spoon. She focused on the soup and avoided her friends' eyes, knowing they wanted answers.

It was Derek who spoke first. "So, you said you weren't feeling well, but not because you're sick. If you're not sick, then what's wrong?"

Emily fiddled with her spoon. Suddenly she wasn't so eager to discuss that afternoon's events. It was embarrassing, and she was a private person. Well, she never had anyone to talk to in the past.

"You can talk to us, Emily," Spencer said quietly. Emily looked at her friends. They all looked at her with compassion, and she found herself telling them what had happened. Everything, from Aaron's text, to the video. She was vague about what the video contained.

When she was done, Derek looked furious, Spencer looked sad, and Penelope looked like she was going to cry.

"That's horrible," she whispered.

Emily only nodded.

"Okay," Derek said angrily. "I knew Aaron Hotchner could be a jerk, but I never thought he would sink that low."

"It's Haley," Penelope said sadly. "She doesn't have the best influence on him."

"He can make his own decision," Emily spat. "He told me he could think for himself. If so, he did this on his own accord."

Spencer shrugged. "He's popular. There's a lot of peer pressure in that group."

"Then he must be pretty weak if he succumbed to peer pressure in this situation," Derek said heatedly.

Penelope watched Emily. "How are you holding up, Gumdrop?"

She gave Penelope a watery smile. "I'll be okay." She smiled at the boys. "I'm just really glad to have to guys here."

"Hey," Derek said, the anger in his voice suddenly gone. "We're here for you." Spencer nodded his head in agreement.

"Thanks," Emily said. "Can we stop talking about this? It's Friday, and I don't want to think about it."

"Then let's watch a movie!" Penelope said excitedly. "You do have DVDs, right?"

Emily laughed. "Yeah, come with me."

* * *

><p>Thomas Jefferson High won the homecoming game. It was a nail biter, but they pulled through, winning 21-13.<p>

The Homecoming Dance was after, and Aaron wanted nothing more than to go home right after the game. But of course, Haley had other plans.

"We're a shoo in for King and Queen!" she cried. She sent Aaron home to get dressed while she ran off with JJ. He met her at the dance because she drove over with JJ.

There was no doubt that Haley was beautiful. She wore a short pink dress with no straps and matching high heels. Her blonde hair was in a half-up-half-down 'do. For a second, Aaron forgot he was upset with her.

But only for a second.

He had become even more upset with Haley when he saw Emily's empty desk earlier that day in Psychology. He knew she had left the school, but part of him had hope she would show up.

The dance dragged on for Aaron. He and Haley won King and Queen, to no one's surprise. She pulled him close when they danced.

"I love you," she whispered.

Aaron remained silent, but luckily a fast song came on, and Haley screamed and started dancing with JJ.

At eleven o'clock, Haley was ready to leave. Aaron had been ready for hours. He drove her home, listening to Haley talk the whole way about who went with whom and who wore what.

When he pulled up to her house, she pulled him into a passionate kiss.

"My parents aren't home," she whispered seductively. "Want to come in?"

He really didn't. "I'm not feeling the best. I'm just going to head home." Haley pouted at that, but she let him go.

Aaron began to drive home, but somehow, he ended up at Emily Prentiss's house. HE knew it was her house because he saw her walk there after school.

He hesitated. _What am I doing here?_ He knew she wouldn't want to see him. He didn't even know why he was there. _He _wouldn't want to see him if he was Prentiss.

The answer came to him quickly. He felt bad about what had happened, and he wanted to apologize. Part of him knew it wouldn't do much, but it was worth a shot.

Walking to the front door, he hesitated for a brief second before knocking. When the door opened a minute later, he was surprised to see who was on the other side.

It was Derek Morgan.

And he looked pissed when he realized it was Aaron.

Oh, yeah. She had definitely told her friends.

"Can I talk to Emily?" Aaron asked hesitantly.

"She doesn't want to talk to you," Derek spat. He stood there defiantly with his arms crossed.

"I figured as much," Aaron said. Derek looked surprised for a second, but he quickly regained his furious look.

"You should just go."

Aaron bit his lip. "Okay, I will." He walked away, but then stopped on the front walkway. He turned to face Derek, who was still standing in the doorway.

"Just please tell her that I'm incredibly sorry," he said. "I screwed up. I'm a coward, and a jerk, and a bully. She didn't deserve that, and it's been crushing me all day to know that I contributed to it." As he spoke, he let his voice get louder until he knew she could hear him from inside the house.

"I wish there was something I could do to make it up to her," he said in a slightly broken voice. "But I know there isn't." He looked at Derek, who was still glaring at him. "I'm glad she has friends like you to go to." He said the last part so only Derek could hear him.

Derek's face softened only a little bit. It was barely noticeable, but Aaron caught it. "I am too," the other boy said quietly. With that, he returned inside, shutting the door behind him.

Aaron stood there for another second, then walked back to his car. He tried. At least he could say that.

As he pulled away from the curb, he could have sworn he saw Prentiss in the window.

_No, _he thought to himself. _Her name is Emily._

**A/N: How's this for a quick update? :) I'm glad that everyone was pleased with the last chapter (Well, as much as you could be). I hope you guys liked this one, I enjoy writing guilty Aaron. Tell me what you thought of this chapter, like if you wished I had focused on the big game more, or if you liked Aaron's attempted apology. Reviews are always welcome. :)**


	12. Tutor

BAU High School

Chapter 12: Tutor

Emily sat in shock on her couch.

_Did Aaron Hotchner come here to _apologize_? _She wondered.

They had been watching a sci-fi movie that Spencer had practically begged them to watch when they heard the sound of a car pulling up. At first, Emily thought it was her parents. But then she heard Derek murmur, "That son of a bitch."

And she had a sinking feeling that she knew who it was.

They heard a knock on the door, and Derek sprung out of his seat.

"I've got it," he muttered and made his way out to the front hall.

"Is it him?" Emily asked nervously. Derek didn't say anything, but his face said it all. She looked at Penelope, who was craning her neck to look out the window.

"That's his car," she whispered. Emily closed her eyes.

At first all they could hear was Derek telling Aaron to leave. And for a second, it seemed like he was going to. Spencer could see Aaron standing on the front walkway from where he sat on the couch.

Emily had begun to relax when she heard him raise his voice. "Just please tell her I'm incredibly sorry. I screwed up. I'm a coward, and a jerk, and a bully. She didn't deserve that, and it's been crushing me all day to know that I contributed to it.

"I wish there was something I could do to make it up to her, but I know there isn't." Emily was stunned to hear how broken his voice sounded.

She couldn't hear much after that, just very quiet voices. Then she heard the sound of a car starting up. Derek walked back in, looking like he was trying to control his anger. Emily stood up, and walked over to the front window. She just caught sight of Aaron's car pulling away.

They were all silent for a few moments. Emily broke it by saying, "How genuine is he?" The question was kind of rhetorical, but of course Spencer answered.

"Well, at first people would assume that because of his past actions and his role in all this he isn't very sincere. However, even though Derek prevented him from coming in, he still managed to say what he wanted to say. He was determined to apologize, and if he wasn't, he would've left as soon as Derek opened the door."

Emily's mouth fell open in shock. Could he really be sorry?

"He did look like he was stressed today," Penelope said. "At lunch it seemed like he was angry at Haley."

Emily began to open her mouth, but Derek cut her off.

"Wait, wait," he said, his anger flaring up again. "Are you guys just going to buy that apology? Just like that? Think of what he did to Emily!"

"Derek," Emily said quietly, but firmly. "I haven't forgotten, and I haven't forgiven him. But if he's trying to apologize, maybe part of him is sincere."

Derek looked furious. "C'mon, Emily! You of all people should be doubting how he's feeling about this!"

"I am," she said, starting to become slightly irritated. "But think about it. He came here. To _my_ house. When he should have been with _Haley_."

That floored Derek. It shocked Spencer and Penelope as well, mainly because they knew it was true.

* * *

><p>"What are you saying?" JJ cried. "I'm failing?"<p>

It was Monday morning, right after first period. JJ's English Literature teacher asked her to stay after class. Rolling her eyes, she obeyed and walked to the front of the room when the bell rang. It was then her teacher told JJ was failing the class.

"Yes, that _is_ what I'm saying," she said patiently.

"But it's only the fifth week of school!" she said angrily. "How is this possible?"

"We haven't had a lot of assignments yet, and you failed two quizzes."

"Well, it's so early in the year, it shouldn't matter yet," she said desperately.

"I know that, but if you keep it up, you won't be able to play soccer."

JJ's mouth fell open. "But I'm the _captain. _I have to play!"

Her teacher gave her a sympathetic smile. "I know that too. That's why I've assigned you a tutor. If you get on top of it now, you'll be better off."

JJ frowned. "A _tutor_? I don't need a tutor!"

Her teacher shoved the two quizzes forward. "Yes, you do."

JJ hung her head in defeat. "Fine," she muttered.

Her teacher smiled. "Great. It just so happens that the boy with the highest grade in this class has your free period."

JJ frowned as she mentally ran through all the boys in the class. She couldn't think of anyone. "Who?"

"Spencer Reid," her teacher said proudly. JJ's stomach clenched.

"Spencer Reid?" she repeated in a tight voice. "The twelve-year-old genius?"

"He's fourteen," her teacher corrected. JJ rolled her eyes. "He'll be a great help to you, and he's already agreed to do it."

JJ raised her eyebrows. Why would he agree to this? She could be awful to him. She _had _been awful to him.

Her teacher continued to talk. "He'll meet you in the library today during your free period. Don't be late."

She rolled her eyes yet again as she left the room. She had to study with _Spencer Reid. _The kid couldn't even drive yet, and he was tutoring _her. _She let out a frustrated sigh. Now she knew how Aaron felt about working with Prentiss.

She arrived to History after most of the class. Derek Morgan shot daggers at her with his eyes. She was confused until she remembered he was friends with Prentiss. As she walked by, she shot him her own glare.

"Hey, babe," Will said when she sat down. "You okay?"

"Fine," she said tightly. Will shrugged and looked away. Aaron wasn't convinced as easily. He shot her a confused look.

"I'll tell you later," she mouthed, and he nodded and returned to his notes. JJ was suddenly surprised. Since when had Aaron become a confident? She realized she was prepared to tell him, but not Will.

She already knew what Will's reaction would be. He would laugh at the prospect of her being tutored by a fourteen-year-old, then immediately express how much of a loser Spencer Reid was. He would joke that he "better not make a move on my girl," which would annoy JJ. She hated it when he became slightly possessive. She thought it meant he didn't trust her if he considered _Spencer Reid _as competition.

After class, Will said goodbye to Aaron and JJ and headed down the hall. As soon as he was gone, Aaron turned his scrutinizing gaze in JJ.

"Alright, what's up?" he asked.

"Nothing," JJ said nonchalantly as they began to walk.

"It didn't look like nothing," he pressed.

She sighed and stopped walking. Glancing at Aaron, she said slowly, "I'm failing English Literature."

His face betrayed no emotion. "It's a lot more than that, and you know it."

She let out an annoyed sigh. "My teacher assigned me a tutor."

He was still staring at her intently.

"It's Spencer Reid!" she cried.

His eyes widened slightly. He frowned. "That's what you're upset about? That you're going to be tutored by the smartest kid in the school?"

JJ started walking again. "No," she sighed. "It's just…. He's a loser."

Aaron shot her a look. "Have you ever gotten to know him?"

"No," she said as if it should have been obvious. She then shot him a curious look. "I thought you of all people would agree with me."

He began to blush slightly. "I-I do. It's just… He's so young."

He knew that was a stupid cover-up. JJ did too. She stopped walking again, and stood front of him.

"What's wrong with you? Ever since last week you've been acting weird, and Haley's getting worried."

Aaron rolled his eyes, which startled JJ. "She's not worried that something bothering me, she worried I'm feeling actual guilt, which is something _she's _apparently never felt."

He froze, and his eyes widened. It was clear his outburst surprised him.

JJ's mouth fell open. She didn't know what to be worried about. He was mad at Haley, which _never_ happened, and it seemed like he was starting to feel compassion for certain people like Spencer Reid.

And Emily Prentiss.

It began to dawn on JJ. "You started acting odd the day we humiliated Prentiss," she said in shock. "You looked so guilty." She looked at his stunned expression. "You don't….."

She let her unfinished question hang in the air, waiting for his response. He quickly schooled his features into an expressionless mask.

"What, you think I like her now? JJ, please. I haven't forgotten what she said to me." He honestly hadn't. Her words still stung slightly.

"Still," JJ said slowly. "Don't deny that you've been acting differently."

Aaron bit his lip. "I won't deny that. But believe me when I say that my feelings for Prentiss," he could barely get out her last name, "haven't changed."

She studied him closely. "Okay." She resumed walking with him walking right next to her. Once they reached the library, JJ spotted Spencer sitting at a table all alone. It was clear he was waiting for her.

Before she could walk over, Aaron grabbed her arm.

"If you could just keep our conversation between us, I would appreciate it." He gazed at her imploringly. "Please."

She nodded. "Of course." He gave her a grateful look as he went to the back of the library. Something was off with him, and she would figure it out, but now she had to meet with her tutor.

She hesitantly made her way over to the table. Spencer looked up when she arrived.

"Hello," he said in a quiet and slightly frightened voice.

"Hi," she said flatly. She dropped into the chair opposite him. "Let's just get this over with."

He seemed relieved that she wasn't going to harass him. "Okay, so what are you having issues with?"

She reluctantly pulled out her failed quizzes and handed them to Spencer. He barely glanced them before he looked back at her. He began to talk her through the material. In actuality, he was doing a great job of explaining it; she was just getting distracted very easily.

"JJ, are you listening?" he asked in a very timid voice twenty minutes later.

"What?" she asked, focusing on him.

He let out a little sigh. "Look, I know you don't like me. I get it. I understand that this is embarrassing for you. I also know that if you don't pull up your grade, you can't play soccer. I'm just trying to help." After his brief speech, he dropped his gaze down to the table, afraid of her reaction.

JJ was surprised. She had never heard him talk like that. Given, it wasn't as if it had been a huge motivating speech, but it still floored her.

She was about to say something harsh when Aaron's words floated into her head.

"_Have you ever gotten to know him?" _

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Could you explain it again?" she asked, sounding like it took great effort to get the words out. His head snapped up in surprise.

"Sure," he said tentatively, and he slowly began to explain it again.

And this time, JJ listened.

* * *

><p>"Of course," JJ said. Aaron nodded his thanks and left her standing there. His outburst in the hallway had frightened him. Where had that come from? He really didn't think this whole Haley versus Emily thing had affected him so much. From JJ's stand point, it must have looked like Aaron was starting to like Emily. He wasn't, but he didn't want Haley to think he was.<p>

He slowly made his way to where Emily was sitting at their usual table. Since they obviously didn't work together on Friday, they had a lot of work to do today. He was nervous about how she would react to him. She hadn't said anything in Chemistry. She actually did the same thing he had on Friday, which was arrive late and leave early.

The only thing she said was, "See you in the library," as she was leaving. He could detect a slight bit of anger in her voice.

_I guess she's still mad, _he thought as he walked over. Then he mentally smacked himself. Of course she was. His apology was hardly an apology. It wasn't enough to fix everything.

"Hi," he said tentatively as he sat down. She was already hunched over her notes.

"Hi," she said, barely looking up. She shoved some papers over. "Here's what I've done so far. We still need to state our final conclusion on the subject."

"Okay," he said, taking out his pencil. They worked in tense silence for the whole period. The silence was worse than usual. When the bell rang, Emily quickly began shoving her books and papers into her bag. She began to walk away, but she stopped right by his chair.

"Why did you come to my house Friday night?" she asked quickly, as if she was afraid she would lose her nerve. She wouldn't meet his eye.

He was so stunned by her question that he almost didn't reply. He quickly recovered and said, "I wanted to apologize for…. What happened."

She frowned and studied him closely. "Are you telling the truth?"

Now he frowned. "Yes. I felt- feel- terrible about what happened, and I wanted to try and make amends." He paused for a second before saying, "I really am sorry."

She continued to watch him warily. "How can I trust you?" she said finally.

"You can't," he said simply. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I meant every word I said on Friday," he continued. "I said I was a coward, and you can't trust cowards."

Her face softened a little bit, and she resumed walking. When she passed right behind him, she leaned over and whispered, "You're not as big a coward as you think you are."

**A/N: Thank you so much for all your alerts and reviews. You're all incredibly nice. Please let me know what you think about this chapter. I always appreciate feedback.**

**Oh, and if anyone is worried that Emily is forgiving Aaron too fast, she hasn't, she's just slowly coming to the understanding that he isn't a complete jerk.**


	13. Trust

BAU High School

Chapter 13: Trust

Haley was angry. No, angry was an understatement. She was _furious. _

She left her third period class early and went to the library in the hopes of finding either Aaron or JJ. She saw JJ sitting with little Spencer Reid at a nearby table when she walked in. Haley would have been confused if JJ hadn't texted her complaining about her tutoring situation.

She spotted Aaron next. He was sitting in the far back with his back to the door. Sitting across from him was Prentiss.

Haley's blood boiled at the sight of the other girl, but cooled a bit when she saw the slightly when she saw the looks Prentiss was giving Aaron. Yeah, she was still upset.

When the bell rang, Haley took a few steps toward their table, but froze when she saw Emily stop and talk to Aaron.

_Just leave, _she thought angrily. _Stop talking about schoolwork. _She assumed that was what they were talking about.

That was when she saw Prentiss whisper in his ear. Whisper!

Haley's fist clenched, and she stormed out of the library.

She was angry at Prentiss for even daring to talk to Aaron in a slightly intimate way. However, she noticed that Aaron didn't flinch when she did. Haley actually thought she saw his shoulders loosen, as if her words comforted him.

Oh, yeah. He had some explaining to do.

* * *

><p>Emily met up with Spencer outside the library.<p>

"Hey," he said tiredly.

"Hey," she said in a similar tone. "Did I see you with JJ?"

"Yeah," he said. "I'm her new tutor."

Emily's eyes widened. "Wow. I'm sorry."

He let out a dry chuckle. "Thanks. She wasn't paying attention at first, though I think she started to listen a bit near the end." He glanced at Emily. "What about you?"

She looked at him. "What about me?"

"How was working with Aaron?" he asked softly, watching her reaction.

She bit her lip and hesitated. "Awkward," she said finally. "We didn't say anything for the whole period."

Spencer gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry. It must be hard."

She shrugged. "It is, but what can you do?"

They walked in silence for a few moments before Emily said, "On Friday, you said he seemed genuine. When he apologized, I mean."

He shot her a quizzical look. "I didn't outright say that…"

"But you implied it," she pressed.

"Yeah, so?" he asked.

Emily bit her lip again. "I asked him how sincere he was."

Spencer raised his eyebrows. "And what did he say?"

"He said he was, and every word he said that night was true. He also said that because he's a coward, I can't trust him."

"Wow," Spencer said. He looked at Emily. "Do you believe him?"

She thought about it. "I don't know," she said finally. "He seemed genuine, and Haley would be pissed if she knew he attempted to apologize, so that means he truly means business. However, he said himself that I can't trust him, and he's been mean to me before."

They had reached the lunchroom now. Emily started to make a beeline to their table when Spencer grabbed her arm.

"What aren't you telling me?" he asked quietly.

"What?" she asked in a surprised voice.

"You said something else to Aaron. What?"

For a second, he thought she wouldn't tell him. Then she sighed, and said, "I said 'You're not as big a coward as you think you are.'"

Spencer's eyes widened. "So you do forgive him."

She shook her head rapidly. "No. Far from it. I just figured that a true coward wouldn't go against his girlfriend to apologize to someone who's supposed to be their mortal enemy."

Spencer thought about it for a second. "You're right. He wouldn't go against Haley's wishes like that."

Emily looked over to where Aaron was sitting with his friends. He was smiling and laughing, but as she looked closer, she could tell it was all forced.

"Maybe he's changing," she said hopefully.

Spencer shrugged. "Maybe. Do you want him to change?"

She looked at him in surprise. "I don't know. I mean, yes, I want him to be nicer to people, but I don't know how much I want him to change." She bit her lip. "Does that even make sense?"

Spencer smiled. "I understand." He resumed walking to their table with Emily following in a daze. She wanted Aaron to see what he was capable of away from Haley, to see how great a person he could be.

However, if he became that great person, would that mean there was a chance they could be friends? That was what Emily was unsure about. Did she want to be friends with Aaron?

When she first met him, the answer had been yes. He had seemed so nice, and Emily had instantly liked him. She also knew how handsome he had been, but that wasn't the point. After that first Chemistry class in the hallway, when he became a major jackass, she hadn't wanted to be his friend. That feeling increased over time, from their fight in the Chemistry room to their tense working periods.

Then last Friday had happened. Her simple hatred turned into full on loathing. Until that moment, they had a small bond of trust between them. When he set her up, it was blown to pieces. Emily had been prepared to shut him down forever and sever all contact with him.

But then he apologized, or at least attempted to.

She knew his simple apology wasn't enough to clear the air. Far from it. But he _tried_. That was what stood out to Emily. He had seemed sincere. She remembered how broken his voice sounded when he said, "I wish there was something I could do to make it up to her, but I know there isn't." It didn't seem faked.

Emily looked at Aaron's table again when she sat down. His smiles really did seem forced, and she could see unhappiness in his eyes.

At that moment, almost as if her thoughts made it happen, he turned and looked at her. It wasn't like he was casually scanning the lunchroom. It was like he had been looking for her.

Their eyes met, and Aaron gave a small nod. It wasn't much, but somehow she knew what he meant.

The nod said_ I understand that you can't forgive me right now, but I know you understand I'm trying._

And she did understand.

* * *

><p>"You're not as big a coward as you think you are," Emily whispered. Aaron shivered slightly.<p>

He remained sitting there for a whole minute after she left. He was in shock. While it wasn't complete forgiveness, it was something.

_She doesn't consider me to be a complete coward, _he thought as he slowly made his way to the lunchroom. It made him happy to know that was what she thought, even if it wasn't true. He hadn't tried very hard to stop Haley, henceforth, he was a coward.

Still, a small grin appeared on his face when he reviewed their conversation. When he had first walked over to her, all her barriers were up. She was completely closed off.

However, after the period was over and she asked him why he had come over, he could see some of her shields breaking. They weren't gone, but they now had cracks, which meant she was coming around.

Did he want her to come around? The question popped into his head as soon as he realized that was what was happening. Did he want her to relax around him, to possibly become his friend?

Aaron was only slightly surprised to discover the answer was yes. He had treated her like crap so far, and he wanted to change that. It would certainly make their work periods less awkward.

Also, he realized he wanted a friend outside his usual group. Will was great, but he could really irritate Aaron sometimes.

And Haley….. Aaron shook his head. He couldn't believe it, but he was still slightly angry at her. When he walked over to Emily today and she gave him a small glance, he could still see the hurt in her eyes. The hurt caused by Haley, JJ, and him.

In addition to her hurting Emily, she still felt like she controlled him. Now that he really paid attention, he noticed this was true. She micromanaged him, and he had never noticed.

Aaron felt sick when he came to this conclusion. Emily had been right when she said he couldn't think for himself. Haley did.

_Well, not anymore, _he thought. He was ready to take control of his life. There was just one problem.

He didn't know where to start.

Upon entering the lunchroom, Will immediately waved him over. JJ sat next to him, and Aaron noticed Will had his arm wrapped possessively around her. She didn't look pleased.

Haley glanced at him coolly when he sat down. "Hello."

He frowned. Her saying hello as opposed to hey was never a good thing. She was mad at him. Aaron was surprised to see that he didn't care.

"Hi," he said innocently, as if he didn't know she was upset. He knew it would piss her off more, but it would get her to explain why she was angry.

Narrowing her eyes, Haley said, "I saw you talking to Prentiss."

He barely managed to stop himself from rolling his eyes. "Yes, because we're _partners. _We have to talk."

His casual attitude angered her even more. Through clenched teeth, she said, "She whispered in her ear."

Aaron kept his face emotionless, even though he was reeling on the inside. He didn't know she was in the library when this happened.

When she noticed he wasn't going to say anything, she hissed, "You didn't flinch."

He shot her an incredulous look. "So?"

"She's a loser! It should freak you out!"

"It's not like she has a contagious disease," he said, trying to maintain his slowly growing anger.

"I told her to stay away from you."

He spun around to face her. "Why did you do that?" he asked in a low voice.

"I don't like the way she looks at you," Haley said, ignoring his threatening demeanor.

Aaron burst out laughing. "What, you think Em-Prentiss likes me? Haley, she hates me!"

Haley was too mad to notice his near slip-up. "I know what I've seen in her eyes, Aaron."

"Haley. Just drop it," he said firmly. "She doesn't like me, and I don't like her."

_Why are you trying to soothe her? _A voice said in his head. _You're mad and you want things to change. Trying to ease her worries won't do you any good!_

Aaron knew that was true, but he didn't even know how to take control of his life. It was stupid, but until he could figure out what he wanted, he needed his life to stay normal.

Haley pursed her lips as she stared at him for a long time. Finally she said, "Okay. I trust you." She then turned back to the table and joined the loud conversation.

_Do you? _He wondered. Did she _really _trust him deep down? Part of him couldn't help but think she didn't.

He flashed back to his words in the library. _"You can't trust cowards." _As his mind began to think about the girl he said those words to, his eyes drifted around the cafeteria towards her table. She was looking at him too.

He gave a little nod, and Aaron could have sworn a small smile passed her lips.

Turing back to his table, he found he could barely suppress a smile of his own.

**A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews! I haven't had the time to reply to all of them, but I will try to do my best. For those of you who are eagerly awaiting Emily and Aaron getting together, that is coming, but not for a while. When I sit back and think about it, I realize that this story is going to be REALLY long. How long exactly, I don't know, but I hope you don't mind and will stay until the end. :) **

**Reviews are ALWAYS welcome. :) :)**


	14. Birthday Plans and Secret Nerds

**A/N: Okay, so this is more of a filler chapter. It just sets up a few things. Don't worry though, I've just written some chapters that I think you'll really like. :)**

**Oh, and I understand that Spencer is more of a Star Trek person, but I know Star Wars better, so please don't hate me. :)**

BAU High School

Chapter 14: Birthday Plans and Secret Nerds

September gradually turned into October, bringing slightly colder weather and more homework for the students. Many of them (with the exception of Spencer) found themselves staying up later and later in order to complete all of their assignments.

The jocks, however, didn't always put that kind of effort in. They knew that none of their teachers could get too mad about them not doing their work. After all, they brought glory to the school.

The only popular kids who actually cared about their grades were JJ and Aaron. JJ was doing fine in all of her classes, except for English Literature. No matter what they were studying, she just couldn't fully grasp it, even with a tutor. It wasn't that Spencer was a terrible teacher; it was because JJ couldn't take him seriously. He had managed to keep her from completely failing, but she was always right on the edge.

As for Aaron, he was acing every class. He had always put a lot of effort into his schoolwork, and now was no exception. Haley was constantly begging for him to spend more time with her, but that only caused him to do more schoolwork.

He knew it had to stop. He needed to either tell Haley things needed to change, or they would have to break up. She wouldn't be happy, but Aaron knew it had to happen.

Emily was adjusting well to Thomas Jefferson. At least, academically. She was incredibly smart, and she had As in all her classes.

Socially, however, well, that was a different story. Her only friends were Spencer, Derek, and Penelope. Normally she would be fine with just three friends, and she was. It was why she didn't have any other friends that was bothering her. Haley and JJ had made it their life's mission to make her as lonely as possible. They couldn't do anything about the few friends she already had, but they could prevent any new friendships from forming.

"Why do they hate me?" Emily asked Penelope one day. Haley had just "accidentally" shoved her against the lockers.

Penelope picked up Emily's books and handed them to her. "I don't know, Buttercup. Maybe they see you as competition?"

Emily let out a humorless laugh. "Yeah, right. What could they possibly see me as competition for?"

Penelope shrugged. "Maybe not JJ, but Haley's probably worried about Aaron."

Emily shot her friend an incredulous look. "Why would she be worried about Aaron?"

"I've seen the way he looks at you." At Emily's alarmed look, she quickly said, "Not like that. I mean, he seems upset whenever he looks at you, which might mean he might feel bad for everything he's done."

"And why would Haley be worried?" Emily asked, still not getting it.

"He's growing a heart," Penelope half-joked. "He's starting to care about you."

Emily shook her head. Aaron didn't care as much as Penelope seemed to think. Their study sessions had returned to their awkward silences. The small feeling of forgiveness that they had shared had diminished. Emily was still very hostile towards him, and he still had that stern frown on his face every time they were near each other.

During one period the first week of October, they almost had a screaming match right there in the library. They managed to tone it down before it got too loud, but that was after Aaron snapped his pencil and Emily tore her paper.

_She's insufferable, _he would think.

_He's too serious,_ she thought.

As much as Aaron wanted to make it up to Emily, she was making it really hard. Granted, she hadn't really forgiven him, and she really had no reason to. Still, he had gotten quite a few headaches for working with her.

October also brought Emily's birthday. She was hoping to keep it on the down low, but Penelope had somehow found out when it was.

"This Saturday is the twelfth right?" she asked nonchalantly on Wednesday.

"Yep," Emily said without thinking of the significance of the date.

"Then it's your birthday on Saturday!" her friend yelled.

"Yeah…. Wait, what?"

Derek let out a whoop. "Aww, Princess is turning eighteen!"

"Why didn't you tell us?" Spencer asked.

"I didn't want anyone to make a fuss out of it," Emily muttered, shooting Penelope a death glare. Her friend ignored her.

"We have to do something amazing," Penelope said. "It's not every day you become an adult."

"Guys," Emily said desperately. "I don't want a huge party."

"No, no," Penelope said. "Not a party, but we do need to get together."

"Let's go to a club," Derek suggested eagerly.

"Clubs aren't really my style," Spencer said before Emily could say anything.

"C'mon, man, I need a wing man."

"I'm fourteen! I can't go to a _club._"

"Clubs aren't my thing either," Emily said firmly. Derek huffed in defeat.

Penelope began to ramble off several ideas with Derek contributing every few minutes. Emily didn't like any of them. She glanced at Spencer. He was quietly eating his sandwich, and watching Penelope with wide eyes.

"Hey," she said softly, nudging him. "What do you want to do Saturday?"

He shrugged. "It's your birthday. You should decide."

"I still want your input," she pressed.

Spencer tilted his head while he thought about it. "Laser tag," he said after a minute.

"Laser tag?" she repeated.

"Yeah," he said with a smile. "I haven't been in awhile."

Emily smiled. "Alright, I guess we're playing laser tag."

Derek and Penelope stopped talking. "What?" Penelope asked.

"I want to play laser tag," Emily said with finality.

"Emily, you don't have to," Spencer said quietly.

"No, I want to," she said firmly. "I've always wanted to play, but I've never had anyone to go with."

"Alright!" Derek yelled. "We're gonna play laser tag!" He grinned at Spencer. "You are _so _going down."

* * *

><p>The next day, Emily was sitting in the library waiting for Aaron. Normally she would have been working by now, but he hadn't arrived yet, and he had all of their papers. She had her headphones in, and was listening to a playlist she had made when she had first moved here.<p>

Her phone suddenly buzzed on the table, startling her. Picking it up, she checked the ID. It was a text from Spencer.

_Help! The evil queen is coming, and she looks MAD!_

Emily giggled. She knew he was joking. If he was seriously in trouble, he would have said so.

She craned her neck, and looked across the library. JJ was throwing her bag on the floor at Spencer's table. She sat down in a chair with a thud and glared at her notebook, as if it was the problem. Spencer looked up, and locked eyes with Emily.

He made a funny face: His eyes went wide, and he opened his mouth wide. His hands went to his neck as if he was choking. He looked silly, and Emily was laughing harder than she normally would have. JJ hadn't noticed, which made it all the more funny.

Emily's phone buzzed again. _The way she walked reminded me of Darth Vader. I could hear the theme in my head._

Emily found herself laughing again.

"What's so funny?" she heard someone say. Looking up, she saw Aaron setting his backpack on the ground, a curious look on his face.

"Nothing," Emily said coolly. She really didn't think he would find it amusing.

He shot her a doubtful look. "Whatever," he muttered. She slipped her phone into her bag after sending a smiley face back to Spencer. When she looked back up, she could have sworn she saw an odd look cross Aaron's face. It was gone in a second.

Aaron eyed her iPod. "What are you listening to?" he asked, making small talk while he pulled out their notes.

She gave him a wary look. "Green Day," she said slowly, watching his reaction.

He froze for a second, as if he was recalling something related to the band. When he saw her staring at him, he relaxed and said, "They're a good band."

She nodded slowly. "I know."

He eyed her before adding, "Guess you have good taste in music."

Emily snapped her head up to glare at him when she realized he had a tiny smile on his face. His dimples had begun to make an appearance, and she found herself smiling back against her will.

In a flash, the smile was gone from both of their faces, and they began to work in their usual silence. Emily paused after a few minutes. It could be her imagination, but it felt like their silence wasn't as tense as before. It actually felt comfortable.

A few minutes before the bell rang, Aaron stood up to put a book away. Once he was gone, Emily began to put her notebooks back into her bag. She didn't notice Spencer walking up.

"A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away….. I survived another work period with JJ," he said.

Emily looked up and giggled. "I never knew you liked Star Wars so much."

"I'm more of a Star Trek person," he admitted. "But Star Wars isn't bad."

"Do or do not. There is no try." Spencer spun around to see the person who said the quote. Aaron stood behind him with his eyebrows raised.

"Yoda," Spencer said quietly.

"I've always liked that quote," Aaron said. Emily frowned. Was that a hint of wistfulness in his voice?

"I never knew _you_ liked Star Wars so much," Emily said.

Aaron shrugged. "There's a lot you don't know about me."

Emily sighed. For someone who wanted to fix things, he was pushing her away an awful lot.

Spencer stood there looking very uneasy. He looked at Aaron with a timid look. Aaron didn't notice because he was too busy packing up.

Aaron straightened and looked at Emily. "See you in Psychology, I suppose." Spencer noticed he seemed uneasy as well.

"See you," Emily said, studying him intently. His comment had got her brain working as she thought about all the little things that made up Aaron Hotchner.

Aaron nodded to Spencer and began to walk off. As he left, he said over his shoulder, "May the force be with you."

Spencer's eyes widened, as did Emily's. "Wow."

"I know, right?" Emily said in awe. "Who knew Aaron Hotchner was a secret nerd?"

Spencer shrugged. "He keeps it from the world."

They started to head to lunch then, and as they walked Emily found herself determined to uncover the nerdy side of Aaron.

_It's in there somewhere,_ she thought. _I just have to find it._

**Please review! :)**


	15. Laser Tag

BAU High School

Chapter 15: Laser Tag

On Saturday, Penelope picked Emily up at five o'clock. Spencer and Derek sat in the back of her VW Bug.

"Happy birthday!" Penelope cried as soon as Emily opened the passenger door.

"Happy birthday!" Derek bellowed.

"Happy birthday," Spencer said softly.

Emily grinned at her friends. "Thanks, guys," she said. "You really know how to make a girl feel welcome."

"Well, of course!" Penelope chirped. "It is your birthday after all."

"Yes, it is, but try not to make a big deal out of it, please," Emily begged.

"Don't worry, Gumdrop," Penelope said sweetly. "There will be nothing out of the ordinary tonight." She paused, then added, "Except for presents."

"Penelope!" Emily cried. "You didn't have to get me anything!"

"Hey, we got you something too," Derek said, gesturing to him and Spencer.

"And, come on. Did you really expect us to _not _to get you anything?" Penelope asked Emily.

She sighed. "I guess I should be thanking you."

Penelope grinned, obviously happy that Emily wasn't going to fight her. "You don't have to."

"Well, because you didn't listen to _me,_ thank you." Penelope's grin got wider at Emily's statement.

"You're welcome."

Fifteen minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot of Laser City, the local laser tag place. Emily began to get out of the car, but Penelope pulled her back.

"Hello! You have presents!" She reached into the backseat, pulled out a bright gift bag, and handed it to Emily. Emily smiled and pulled out what was inside.

Penelope had gotten her a colorful scarf. It seemed to have every color of the rainbow on it, and it shimmered whenever it moved.

"Oh, Penelope, it's beautiful," Emily gasped. And she wasn't lying. While she may prefer dark colors, there were some times when she really liked bright colors, like now.

She had barely thanked Penelope when Derek plopped his gift into her lap. He had gotten her a Kurt Vonnegut book. On the first day of school, they had both discovered their mutual love for the author.

"You told me you didn't have this one," Derek said, obviously proud he had come up with the book.

"I don't," Emily said with a smile. "I heard it was great. Thank you."

Last, but not least was Spencer. He handed her a badly wrapped gift. Curious as to what it could be, Emily slowly unwrapped the present. It was a silver picture frame. In it was a picture of the four of them from one of their frequent movie nights. They were seated on Penelope's couch with their arms around each other. They had huge smiles on their faces. Penelope had insisted on them taking the picture to "preserve our last high school year together."

Emily could feel tears spring into her eyes. It was wonderful. She looked up at Spencer, who was giving her a shy smile.

"Do you like it?" he asked tentatively.

"I _love _it," she whispered. "Thank you. All of you. This has got to be the best birthday yet."

"We haven't even played laser tag yet!" Penelope said eagerly. "Come on!"

She led them into the large building. Upon entering, their ears were filled with the sounds of shrieks and laser guns going off. Penelope strode up to the front desk where they paid their admission.

"How many?" the man behind the counter said in a lazy voice.

"Four," Penelope said promptly. The man accepted their money and handed them tickets so they could get their vests and guns. Once they had those, they were allowed in the arena.

It was a large, dark room with ramps leading up to a second floor. There were neon columns and structures all over the place to provide shelter from oncoming attacks.

"Okay," Penelope said in a business-like tone. "I've arranged it so we're in the same game, but we can have teams if we want to."

"Boys against girls," Derek said immediately. "At least, at first."

Emily grinned at Penelope. "Alright, it's on Derek. Just give us ten seconds for us to get away."

"Okay, Birthday Girl," Derek said, patting Spencer on the back. "Let's go, man." He turned to Emily. "I'll go easy on you."

Emily rolled her eyes. "You do that." With that, the two groups ran in opposite directions. The girls ran up a nearby ramp and hit behind a neon orange wall.

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Penelope asked. "I'm not good with this kind of stuff."

Emily patted her friend's shoulder. "Don't worry, PG, I've got you covered." She peered around the wall, straining her eyes to see if she could find the boys in the darkness.

"What color were their vests?" Emily murmured.

"Blue," her friend whispered back. The girls were wearing red.

"Then I think I see them," Emily said slowly. She could just make out a blue glow from behind a green column.

She turned back to Penelope. "Cover me."

"How?"

"Just tell me if someone is coming around the other side." With that, Emily slipped out in front of their wall in order to get closer to the blue glow. A few feet behind the glow was another wall. Emily set her sights there, then started running toward it. Once she had passed the column with the blue glow, she spun around and fired her gun at the figured crouched behind it.

"What?" Spencer yelled as his vest lit up, letting him know he had been shot. Emily made it safely to the other wall, and leaning up against it.

"What happened?" she heard Derek ask.

"I was shot," Spencer said in shock.

"What? Pretty Boy, you were supposed to keep an eye on that side!"

"I know, I know! Sorry!"

"Oh, Emily is _so _going to get it!" Emily's eyes widened, and she started running. She ran around the whole second level, finally collapsing next to Penelope behind their original hiding place.

"Did you get someone?" Penelope asked.

"Yeah," Emily panted. "Spencer."

"Nice," Penelope grinned. She had opened her mouth to say something else when her vest went off.

"Yeah, man!" Derek yelled from behind Penelope.

"DEREK MORGAN!" Penelope shrieked. She leapt up and started after Derek, who was running in the opposite direction. Emily bit her lip to keep from laughing, and started scanning the nearby area for Spencer. He had to be nearby.

After seeing the second level was without any of her friends, Emily made her way back downstairs. She held her laser gun in front of her like she had seen on TV. A few kids from another group ran by. Emily ended up following them to the left. After a few steps, she spotted a familiar blue glow. Ducking behind a green boulder, she raised her gun and pulled the trigger. The blue vest lit up, signifying a successful hit.

"EMILY!" she heard Derek yell. She could hear Penelope laughing hysterically.

"Run, Emily!" Penelope cried. Emily complied and sprinted away. A quick glance over her shoulder told her Derek was hot on her heels.

She made it a few more feet when her vest went off.

"Victory!" Derek cheered as he ran by.

"IT'S ON!" Emily yelled on the top of her lungs, quickly following Derek's path.

* * *

><p>Spencer slowly inched out of his hiding place. He had been crouched behind a purple wall, watching Emily chase after Derek. He had said this would happen, leaving Penelope open.<p>

Sure enough, Penelope was still behind the orange column. Taking a deep breath, Spencer raised his gun and shot Penelope square in the vest.

"AHHHH!" Penelope cried. She spun around and spotted Spencer. "Spence!"

"Sorry!" he yelled over his shoulder as he ran off. He knew she would follow him, so he ran up to the second level, which was where he knew Derek would be.

Spencer had just stepped off the ramp when he saw Derek being cornered by Emily. She hadn't spotted him yet, so he had the element of surprise. Unfortunately, his aim from this far was iffy at best.

Taking a few more steps forward, he tentatively raised his gun and fired at Emily. To both of their surprises, Emily's vest lit up.

Her eyes widened, and she looked up to see Spencer standing a few feet away with his mouth hanging open.

"Yeah, go Spencer!" Derek crowed, taking this opportunity to run off while Emily was distracted.

"Uh…. Derek?" Spencer said weakly. "A little help?" Emily had a murderous look in her eyes, and he could see Penelope creeping up behind him out of the corner of his eye. Unfortunately for him, Derek was long gone.

"You take this one Penelope," Emily said with a grin. "I've got to go find Derek." She turned and ran off, leaving Spencer standing there alone with Penelope.

He gave her a resigned sigh. "Go ahead, do it." He thought she would take pity on him and let him be, but he had barely finished his sentence when his vest lit up.

Penelope jumped up and down. "Yes! I got someone!" She started to run away, adding over her shoulder, "That was from me _and_ Emily."

Rolling his eyes, he turned and ran the opposite way in the hopes of finding Derek before Emily reached him.

* * *

><p>Emily was on a mission. After leaving Spencer at the mercy of Penelope, she had started running in the direction of where Derek had headed. She found herself at the top of a ramp. Peering over the side, she checked if she could see the familiar blue glow. When she didn't, she slowly crept down the ramp.<p>

Once she reached the bottom, she pressed her back against the wall, scanning the bottom floor. Nothing.

She frowned. This did not seem good.

Inching forward, she moved from column to column. After walking several feet, she became anxious. She felt as though she was being watched. Spinning around, she only saw two ten-year-old boys racing by.

Taking a deep breath, she turned back around, and continued to search for Derek. She suddenly noticed a blue light from behind a purple wall.

With a grin, she crept forward, hiding behind a nearby green wall. If she looked from behind it, she had the perfect view of Derek where he sat behind the wall.

Emily pulled the trigger, and then quickly ran away without making sure her shot had hit its mark.

"EMILY!" Derek bellowed.

_Well, I guess I _did_ hit him, _she thought with a smirk.

* * *

><p>The four of them played for an hour. They switched teams every now and then to keep it interesting. The top shooters were Emily and Derek, as was shown during a round when they were on the same team. Poor Spencer and Penelope couldn't keep up. They barely got any shots in.<p>

Still, they had a lot of fun. "That. Was. AWESOME!" Spencer yelled as they exited the building. He loved playing laser tag, but in recent years he hadn't really gone, mainly because he could never get anyone to go. He was grateful Emily had wanted to go.

"It was," Derek agreed with a laugh. He was surprised at how good Emily was. She had gotten him more times than he could count, and he prided himself on being very good at laser tag. The fact that she was a worthy opponent was a good thing for Derek.

Even Penelope had to agree with Spencer's statement. She really wasn't good at laser tag, but it was fun to occasionally get Derek in the back.

Emily smiled as she listened to her friends talk about the games. She had a blast. Teaming up with Derek at the end had been fun, though she also liked being against him. Spencer had been an interesting opponent as well, but Derek gave her the most challenge.

The reached Penelope's car, and settled themselves inside it. Emily let out a content sigh.

"Well, thank you guys. This has definitely been the best birthday ever." She knew she had already said it, but she couldn't help herself from saying it again.

"It doesn't have to be over," Spencer suggested from the back. "We could go get some dinner."

"Yeah, I'm starving," Derek added. Penelope and Emily looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Of course he was.

"That's a good idea," Emily said as her own stomach growled. "I could totally eat."

"How does pizza sound?" Penelope asked.

"Perfect," Emily replied. The boys agreed. With that, Penelope pulled out of the parking lot and drove to the nearest pizza place.

Emily gazed out the window on the way there. She could hear Spencer and Derek arguing about something random in the back, and Penelope was humming whatever song was on the radio. She felt a smile spread across her face as she leaned back in her seat.

She loved her friends.

**A/N: I'm not sure if this is going to work, because I've noticed the site has been having issues, but I want to keep to my usual schedual. I also really want to get to the next few chapters, so here's to hoping it works. I hope you all liked this one, and please please please leave a review. I'm really close to 200. :) :)**


	16. From Enemies to Friends

**I hope you guys like this one, I'm a little worried about how it came out, but I still like it, so here you go! :)**

BAU High School

Chapter 16: From Enemies to Friends

Monday morning, Emily and Spencer walked into the library for their respective work session. They were reliving some of the highlights of Saturday night as they walked over to Spencer's usual table. JJ wasn't there yet, and neither was Aaron, allowing them to have a few minutes together.

"Remember how Derek and Penelope ganged up on us?" Emily said with a grin.

Spencer laughed. "Yeah. When they jumped out from behind that wall, I thought I was going to die."

Emily laughed harder. "You looked terrified."

"Hey," Spencer replied. "You looked pretty scared too."

She shrugged. "They took me by surprise, what can I say?"

"You want to talk about surprise? What about when it was you and Derek against me and Penelope? You two didn't let us get any shots in."

Emily gave him a cocky grin. "We're just skilled that way."

"More like unfair," Spencer muttered. Emily began to laugh again, prompting Spencer to join in. Within seconds they were clutching the table, cracking up.

"What's so funny?" a voice said behind Emily. She turned to see Aaron standing there, one eyebrow raised. His no-nonsense face was making an appearance as well.

Emily wiped her eyes, trying to get rid of any tears that had sprung up. "We were just talking about last weekend."

"Is that so?" Aaron said, eyeing them both. "What did you do?"

He honestly didn't care, but they had been laughing so hard, it was impossible not to be a little curious.

Spencer ducked his head and focused on the tabletop.

"We played laser tag," Emily said matter-of-factly.

"Laser tag?" Aaron repeated.

She rolled her eyes. "That is what I said, right?"

Aaron narrowed his eyes. "You don't have to be obnoxious about it."

"I wasn't," Emily said hotly. She turned back to Spencer. "I'll talk to you later." She began to walk away, but after a few steps she turned back around.

"Oh, and it wasn't unfair. You and Penelope willingly agreed to it." Spencer grinned, and Emily laughed as she continued to walk to her and Aaron's table.

Aaron began to slowly walk after her, his mind churning. When he asked Emily about what she had done over the weekend, he was expecting some lame answer. And while his friends may think laser tag is lame, Aaron actually didn't. He had always loved the game, but he hadn't played in years. All of his friends had said it was for nerds, so Aaron never went anymore.

When he was walking up to the table, he had heard Emily and Spencer's laughter. It was hard not to. They sounded like they had a lot of fun that day. Aaron couldn't help but feel a bit jealous. He tried to think of the last time he and his friends had fun like that. He was surprised when he came up empty. Aaron could not think of a time recently where he and his friends had so much fun that they could still laugh about it a few days after.

He realized then that he wanted friends who would actually be willing to do things like that. The most exciting activities his friends did on the weekends were sporting events and parties. And while there was no shortage of those, they were all alike, and eventually they got boring.

He sat down at the table, deep in thought. Emily eyed him curiously. He seemed to be acting odd. His eyes looked like they were far away. His eyebrows were furrowed.

"Hey," she said, trying to get his attention. He didn't respond. "Hey," she said again, louder this time. He looked up with a jerk of his head.

"What?" he said blankly.

She rolled her eyes. "I was trying to get your attention. You looked as though your mind was somewhere else."

Aaron blinked. "Sorry," he muttered. Emily looked as his face. He seemed embarrassed.

"It's fine," she muttered. As she began to pull out her books, he spoke.

"What else do you and your friends do on the weekends?"

She looked up in surprise. "What?"

"You heard me," he said, fixing his glare on her.

She shrugged. "We usually get together and watch movies. Some nights we'll go out for pizza or something." She gave him a suspicious look. "Why do want to know?"

Now he shrugged. "I don't know."

Emily tilted her head. "What do _you_ and your friends do on the weekends? I mean, besides plot to ruin peoples' lives."

And there it was. For weeks they had avoided the subject of Emily's humiliation. The only time they had talked about it was when Aaron attempted to apologize again. After that, they avoided it like the plague. Emily had kept her hatred under wraps until this moment.

Aaron narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Hotchner," Emily spat. She was tired of not letting him have it. "You and your bitchy girlfriend planned to humiliate me, and you succeeded." Aaron opened his mouth, but she cut him off. "Why do you two hate me so much? Why? What did I even do to you? What did I do to deserve that?"

Again, he opened his mouth, but she cut him off once again. "You think because you're Aaron Freaking Hotchner that you can just stomp all over people. Well, guess what? You can't."

"I know," Aaron said softly. Emily froze. She had expected him to try to defend himself, not agree to everything she had said.

"What?" she said. Part of her wished she could have come up with a better response, but that was the only thought running through her head.

"I said, I know," he repeated, staring at the table. "I have no right to treat people the way I do. No one does." He raised his eyes to meet hers, and she was shocked to see them full of regret. "But please believe me when I say I had no part in the planning of what happened to you."

He didn't know why he never said it from the start, but he knew he needed to say it now.

Emily's eyes hardened. "I don't believe you."

Aaron closed his eyes. He had expected that.

Taking a deep breath, he said, "I will admit, I offered to be a part of Haley's plan. It was right after we had that fight in the Chemistry room on the second day of school. I was angry and hurt, and when Haley said she wanted revenge on you, I jumped at the chance to help.

"But as the whole thing got closer and closer, I got nervous. This was unlike anything I had ever done. And while I wasn't always happy with you, I didn't really want to hurt you. I didn't even know what Haley was planning until the day before. She wouldn't tell me."

"You still texted me," Emily whispered, not meeting his eyes.

"No, I didn't," he said firmly. "Haley asked me to send the text, and I told her I would if she told me what she had planned. As soon as I heard about the video, I panicked. It sounded horrible. When she tried to hand me my phone, I refused to text you. She got frustrated and sent it herself."

Emily's eyes widened, and she looked up. Was he telling the truth? She quickly looked for the signs: fidgeting, blinking, and avoiding eye contact. She came up empty. He was sitting as still as a statue, eyes unblinking and focused intently on her.

She gasped. He was telling the truth.

If Derek was there, he would have insisted Aaron was faking it all, but something else told her he was telling the truth. Something deep down told her to believe him.

And she did.

"But," she said slowly, her voice still a whisper. "Why didn't you try to warn me? You saw me in Chemistry. You knew where I was going."

"I was a coward," he said simply, his gaze never wavering. "Part of me hoped that Haley wouldn't go through with it. I hoped that the innocent, nice girl I met freshmen year was still there."

"She's not," Emily said flatly. "She didn't stop, nor did she feel any remorse."

Aaron nodded sadly. "I know. That's why I came to your house to apologize. I knew she wouldn't, and I knew someone needed to."

He paused slightly before saying, "You were right."

She looked at him in surprise. "I was what?"

"Right," he said quietly. "You were right. I don't make my own decisions, Haley does. I'm nothing but a puppet."

She shook her head. "No, you're not."

Now he looked at her in surprise. "Why do you say that? You of all people should be agreeing with me."

She gave him a tiny smile. "I agree that at the beginning of this year, you were. But you're not anymore. If you were, you wouldn't have come to my house. You wouldn't be sitting here explaining what really happened and what you did wrong."

He stared at her for a minute. She gazed right back. A feeling of mutual understanding passed between them.

"Thank you," he said softly.

"You're welcome," she said, a warm feeling spreading through her body.

They were silent for a few minutes after that. Both of them were unsure about what just happened. Were they friends, or enemies who have made peace?

Emily bit her lip. "What does this mean?"

He looked up from his notebook. "What do you mean?"

She gestured to the both of them. "Us. What are we?"

Aaron thought about it for a second. "Well," he said slowly. "I would like us to be friends." He suddenly looked a little nervous. "That is, if you want us to be."

She gave him a small smile. "I think I would like that."

He smiled back. "You would?"

Emily nodded, happy to see that she really did want Aaron as a friend. Her smile grew into a huge grin, and his grew into a genuine smile, complete with dimples.

"So what _do _you and your friends do on the weekends?" she asked curiously. She was still confused about why he asked her in the first place.

Aaron shrugged. "We go to parties and random sports events. They actually get really boring after awhile. Laser tag sounds so much more fun."

Emily suddenly had an idea as to why he had been acting rather weird earlier. Was he jealous of her friends?

"Why don't you play laser tag with your friends then?" she asked, watching his reaction.

He gave a humorless chuckle. "They think it's for nerds."

"And what do you think?" she pressed.

"I love laser tag," he admitted, surprised he was already sharing the nerdy side of him with Emily. "I wish my friends felt the same way. It seems like something I would want to do on the weekend."

That confirmed it for Emily. He _was_ jealous of her friends. She suddenly felt bad for him. He never got to do what he really wanted to do with his friends, and he was obviously scared of showing his true self.

"Well," she said slowly. "Maybe next time we go, you could come."

He shot her a doubtful look. "Your friends would want me to come?"

Emily huffed slightly. "They're not like your friends."

"I know that, but a few weeks ago, Derek Morgan looked like he was ready to punch me so hard, I would still be able to feel it today."

She smiled at that. "I'm aware of that, and I'm not saying they're going to love you, but if you just let your nerdy side out, they'd warm up to you."

He raised an eyebrow. "My nerdy side?"

"I know you have one. You're just afraid to let it out."

He frowned at that. "Who said I'm afraid?" As soon as he said it, he realized it was pointless. He _was_ afraid. He was afraid to show his true self because he was worried about what his friends' reactions would be.

Emily gave him a sad smile. "It's okay. I understand that it's tough. I also understand that when you say you want us to be friends, you mean secret friends."

Aaron quickly opened his mouth to object, but she cut him off. "Look," she said firmly. "It's okay. You need time to figure out what you want, and suddenly going against your friends without knowing if new people will accept you won't help at all. So I'm okay with being a secret friend. For now." She emphasized the words "for now."

He looked at her in awe. "How can you be so understanding with all this? We haven't been friends for an hour, and you're already adjusting our friendship for me." It felt weird to say "friendship."

She shrugged. "I feel that life is too short to hold grudges, so I'm going to put our past behind us. I know that the jerky side of you is just a show. A stupid show, don't get me wrong, but a show nonetheless."

Aaron had a newfound feeling a respect for Emily Prentiss. _How can Haley hate her so much? _He had no idea.

"Thank you," he said again. He couldn't say it enough.

Emily smiled, a beautiful sight, and said, "You're welcome, again." Then she became serious. "But if you do anything to hurt me or my friends, you will regret it for the rest of your life."

He was only slightly taken aback by her words. He knew she wouldn't completely trust him at first, which was understandable.

"I won't," he said softly. "I promise."

**A/N: Awwww! I hope you liked this chapter, please let me know what you think. I appreciate it!**


	17. Savior

BAU High School

Chapter 17: Savior

Later that day, after school, Spencer was walking across the school lawn. Normally he got a ride from either Derek or Penelope, but he had to stay behind today. He had to meet with his and JJ's English Literature teacher to tell her about JJ's progress. She was actually making a lot, and Spencer couldn't help but be a little bit proud.

Anyway, he lived too far away from school to walk, and Derek and Penelope couldn't stay back, so Emily told him to walk to her house and she would give him a ride. She had to leave right after school, so she couldn't stay behind, but she was home at the moment.

Spencer wasn't aware of how late it was until he heard some noises coming from his right. Turning his head, his stomach dropped. Crossing the football field was the _entire_ football team.

He gulped. This wasn't good. Last time they caught him alone, they had tied him to the goalpost naked. After an hour or so, they had left, and someone had untied him. Spencer thought it was Aaron Hotchner, but he had left before Spencer could get a good look.

Looking around, Spencer quickly realized there was no good place to hide. The few trees on the lawn were either too skinny to hide him or too far away. The front steps of the school were too far as well.

He decided to just keep walking. Maybe they wouldn't see him.

No such luck.

"Hey!" one of them yelled. "It's the twelve-year-old!" No matter how many times he tried to say he was fourteen, they always called him twelve.

Within second they had surrounded him. They all had devious grins on their faces.

"Where are you going, Nerd Boy?" a rather tall player asked.

"Running home to mommy?" another asked. The rest of the team snickered.

Spencer just kept his eyes on the ground. He wished that they would just leave him alone for once, but he knew it would never happen. At least not today.

A blonde boy shoved Spencer roughly. "He asked you a question."

Spencer didn't even know any of these guys' names, so he wasn't even sure who asked what.

Someone else pushed him from behind. Before long, the team was passing him back and forth, roughly shoving him forward, backward, and side to side. He quickly became rather sick.

"He looks like he's gonna puke," Will LaMontagne laughed. "Push harder!"

One boy's hand missed Spencer's shoulder and smacked him on the jaw impossibly hard. He let out a little squeak, with only led the team to laugh harder.

He could vaguely hear someone yelling in the distance. After a moment, he could finally distinguish what the person was screaming.

"COACH ROSSI IS COMING! GET OUT OF HERE, ALL OF YOU!" The team immediately stopped pushing, causing Spencer to fall to the ground with a harsh thud. They sprinted over to their cars, some tripping over their feet. Within seconds, they were all gone.

Spencer coughed. He could barely focus on the pair of white sneakers that stopped walking in front of him. The person wearing the sneakers knelt down in front of him.

"Are you okay?" the person asked. They helped Spencer sit up and brush dirt off his back. Spencer's eyes were now able to focus on his savior.

It was Aaron Hotchner.

"Wha- You- I thought you were with the team," Spencer rasped.

Aaron quickly shook his head. "No. I stayed back to clean up a bit. When I came up, I saw them attacking you. I lied about Coach coming to scare them away."

"Thank you," Spencer said quietly. Aaron shook his head again.

"Don't mention it. Now let me see that bruise." He leaned close to get a good look as the purple bruise slowly appearing on Spencer's face. He hissed when Aaron lightly poked it.

Aaron winced. "That doesn't look good. Hey, are you feeling okay? You look kinda green."

Spencer did not feel good at all. His abrupt fall had knocked the wind out of him, and he still felt slightly nauseous.

He weakly shook his head.

Aaron bit his lip. "Okay, well we need to get you out of here. I think the nurse already went home, and we need to get you somewhere safe now if you're going to puke…." He began to wonder if he could get to his house fast enough.

"Emily," Spencer managed to say. He knew Emily and Aaron had issues, but she was closest.

"That's right, she lives near here, I forgot." Aaron gently pulled Spencer to his feet, wrapping his arm around the fourteen-year-olds torso. "We can be there in a minute." He all but dragged Spencer to his car in the parking lot. Spencer was so dizzy, he could barely walk.

Once he got Spencer situated in the passenger seat, Aaron sped to Emily's house down the road. They were there in less than a minute.

Aaron helped Spencer up the front walk and knocked rapidly on the door. Emily opened it a minute later.

"I was wondering when- Oh my gosh, Spence, what happened?" she said as soon as she laid eyes on the two boys.

When Spencer didn't answer, Aaron said, "The football team was shoving him around. One boy hit him on the jaw. They let him fall to the ground after awhile."

Emily quickly wrapped her arm around Spencer's free side, her hand brushing against Aaron's briefly, and led him inside. They brought him over to the couch and laid him down carefully.

"He's going to be sick," Aaron told her. She ran into the kitchen and grabbed a large bowl.

When she returned, Aaron asked, "Do you have an ice pack?"

"Yeah, in the freezer in the kitchen," she said absent-mindedly. He quickly left the room.

"Sorry to bring him over here," Spencer whispered. "He's the one who saved me."

"Are you seriously going to apologize to _me_ after what happened to you?" Emily asked incredulously. "Don't even consider it."

Aaron returned with the ice pack. He handed it to Emily, who gently placed it on Spencer's jaw.

"Those… Those… Losers!" she whispered harshly. "Why can't they pick on someone their own size?"

"It's more fun to hurt someone smaller," Spencer said dryly. Emily wanted to cry for her friend.

"Well, if they think it makes then manly, or something, they've never been more wrong." She was so angry. She wanted to find every one of those boys and punch the living daylights out of them.

"Spencer," Aaron said softly from behind Emily. She had forgotten he was there. "I'm sorry I didn't stop them soon enough."

"Don't be silly," Spencer said, his voice much more stronger now. "You still came and got rid of them."

"Yeah, you did," Emily said, turning and looking at him. Her faces softened as she gazed at him. "Thank you," she mouthed. Aaron just nodded.

"I should go," he said, starting to head for the door.

"I'll walk you out," Emily said quickly. One glance at Spencer told her he was asleep. The poor kid was probably exhausted.

She followed Aaron to the door. Pulling it closed behind her after making sure it was unlocked, she spoke.

"Thank you so much for saving him," she said earnestly.

He gave her an uneasy grin. "It's nothing, really. I just knew it had to be done. No one deserves to be treated like that. I'm going to talk to the team tomorrow. Plus, I know he's your friend."

"He can be your friend too," she said softly, reminding him of their earlier conversation.

He looked at the ground. "Does he even want to be friends with me?" he asked scornfully. "Not long ago I was one of those jerks."

"Hey," she said, reaching out and stunning herself by touching his arm. He looked up in surprise. "You saved him today. He is thankful for you. On my first day, he told me you could be really nice. He didn't doubt you."

Now he was really surprised. He remembered their summer before their freshman year, how they would occasionally hang out in the afternoon. Those days had actually been a lot of fun for Aaron, and he felt bad when they stopped hanging out. He really wanted to be friends with the younger boy again.

He looked at Emily in amazement. This girl had only been in his life for a little over a month, and she already had him rethinking things in his life. He was even more amazed to realize he didn't mind.

Emily saw him looking at her oddly. "What?"

"Nothing," he said, suddenly seeing her in a different light. "I just…. Can't wait to get to know you better." He was aware of how lame that sounded, but he didn't care.

She didn't care either. She actually thought it was sweet. "Then why don't you stay for a bit longer? You can also talk to Spencer, and then maybe drive him home?"

Aaron grinned at her little question. "I can give him a ride home. We actually live on the same street."

Emily feigned surprise. "Really? Wow, isn't that amazing?"

Aaron found himself laughing. Emily opened the door and ushered him inside. They walked into the living room to find Spencer sitting up on the couch, flipping through channels on the television.

"Hey Emily, I think there's a Star Trek marathon on somewhere. I thought I could teach you some valuable information about it…" His voice trailed off when he noticed Aaron was still there. "Oh, hi Aaron." Though he was still immensely grateful for the popular boy, Spencer couldn't help but feel wary around him.

"Star Trek sounds good," Emily said, sitting down next to him. "You don't mind if Aaron stays do you?"

"I-I guess not," Spencer said, still looking slightly scared.

Emily looked at Aaron, who was still standing awkwardly in the doorway. "Hey, will you go and see if we have any popcorn in the kitchen?" Aaron got the message that she wanted to talk to Spencer alone, and quickly left the room.

"He doesn't have to stay just because he saved me," Spencer said quietly. "I know you don't like him."

"Actually, we're kinda friends now." At his shocked look, Emily explained how she and Aaron had called a truce and built a mini-friendship.

"He's actually jealous of everything we do with Derek and Penelope. He wishes his friends would be up for things like that," she confided to him.

"Really?" Spencer asked in awe. He never would have thought Aaron could be jealous of _him._

"Really," Emily said with a grin. "He wants to hang out with us sometime, but he's worried about how you guys will feel about it."

"Well, I don't know about Pen and Derek, but I'm willing to give him a chance," he said, remembering all the times he and Aaron hung out together.

"Perfect," she said happily. She hugged Spencer. "Thanks, Spence."

Aaron chose that moment to walk back in with a bowl of popcorn. He had just caught the end of their conversation, and he was happy to hear that Spencer accepted him.

"So, Star Trek, huh?" he asked, setting the bowl on the coffee table. He sat down on the floor in front of it, his back leaning up against the couch. "I can't say I've seen it."

"Oh, it's great," Spencer said eagerly. He began to go off on a long-winded explanation about all the characters. Aaron twisted around to face the other boy after awhile. He was shocked at how much Spencer knew about it.

Emily was biting the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. She loved seeing how excited her friend could get. She glanced at Aaron, worried that he would be getting bored and that he would regret trying to be their friend. She was pleasantly surprised. Aaron was listening to Spencer intently, hanging on every word.

Her heart soared at this sight. In less than a day, this boy had managed to completely turn her life around. She was happy to see that it seemed like the change was for the better.

_I guess there is a lot more to Aaron Hotchner than just a typical jock._

**A/N: Awww, poor Spencer! Thank you to everyone who has done anything to this story. I really really appreciate it! Keep it up!**

**I put up a poll on my profile about a random plot bunny that has been bouncing around my head like crazy. If you could go check it out, I would really appreciate it. :)**


	18. Tiny Steps

BAU High School

Chapter 18: Tiny Steps

The next day, Emily walked into Chemistry a few minutes early. To her surprise and happiness, Aaron was already there as well.

"Hey," she said as she put her bag on the ground.

He gave her a small smile. "Hey yourself."

Yesterday, Aaron had stayed at her house with Spencer until six. They had gotten caught up in watching Star Trek, leading them to lose track of time. Aaron had begun to feel at ease with Spencer and Emily. He could relax and show his true self around them, and he realized he really missed that.

Emily had a lot of fun too. Behind Aaron's tough exterior, he was actually really funny. After only twenty minutes, he looked comfortable sitting there with them.'

Though, even after everything they did yesterday, she couldn't help but be worried about what would happen today. She knew he needed time to figure things out, but did that mean she couldn't talk to him?

He answered that question for her by saying, "I had a lot of fun yesterday. It was nice to just sit around and watch TV."

She chuckled, her body warming at the fact that he wouldn't freeze her out today. "What, you don't do that with your friends?"

"Oh no, we do, believe me," he said dryly. "But we don't watch things like Star Trek."

"Then what do you watch?" she asked, genuinely curious. She wanted to know why Aaron was so desperate for other friends.

He rolled his eyes. "Stupid reality shows on MTV. Oh, and a lot of ESPN."

Emily wrinkled her nose. "Sounds boring."

"It is," he agreed. "Haley makes me watch obnoxious sitcoms too." At the mention of his girlfriend, Emily's heart sunk slightly (which she just attributed to her dislike for Haley) and she averted her eyes. She may have warmed up to Aaron, but hell would freeze over before Emily would even consider forgiving Haley.

He quickly noticed Emily's change in mood. "I would much rather watch sci-fi shows with you." He had only said it to cheer her up, but after he said it, he realized it was true. He liked talking and hanging out with Emily, and he had only done it once.

_That's odd,_ he thought.

He was happy to see that his comment actually did make her feel better. She sat up straighter and she gave him a small smile.

"You can't mean that," she said softly.

"I do," he said in an equally quiet voice. Emily's eyes widened and a faint blush crept up her cheeks.

_She looks adorable when she blushes, _he realized.

At that moment, Aaron's friends came in, interrupting his thoughts and preventing him from saying something stupid. He immediately began to talk to them, reprimanding them for their attack on Spencer. They tried to defend themselves by saying it was just a joke, but one glare from Aaron silenced them.

They changed the subject right after that, talking about whatever sport had been on the other day. Aaron quickly glanced at Emily out of the corner of his eye. She was silently reviewing her notes for the class.

He felt a pang in his gut. He knew she told him it was okay for the moment, but he still felt terrible. It was then that he realized that he wouldn't feel this bad if one of his friends told him something was okay even when it probably wasn't.

Shaking his head, he checked to make sure his friends weren't paying him any attention before reaching out and touching Emily's arm. She jumped slightly, and then turned and sent him a questioning look.

"Sorry," he mouthed. She shook her head.

"Don't worry about it," she whispered. "I don't mind." That was actually a lie. She _did_ mind. She wanted him to realize that he didn't need to hide himself and be friends with people who would bully people like Spencer, but she couldn't tell him that. At least not now. That would only get him mad at her, and she enjoyed their friendship too much to ruin it.

_We've only been friends for a day, and I already value his friendship, _she thought to herself. Was that too soon? Was it weird that she felt comfortable around him? Just last week, she could hardly stand to be in the same room as him. Now…..

She glanced at him. He had returned to his conversation with his friends. By talking to his friends, he had switched back to the popular Aaron Hotchner. The football player Aaron Hotchner. The one she wasn't friends with.

She sighed to herself. _This is really messed up, _she thought.

* * *

><p>Spencer rested his face against his hand, wincing when he pressed on his bruise. He had forgotten it was there. Overnight it had become a dark purple monstrosity. Luckily, it wasn't totally huge, though it wasn't exactly small either. He didn't know how to cover it up though, so he had to go to school with the bruise clearly shown on his face.<p>

Derek's eyes had widened when he saw it. Then anger spread across his face.

"What the hell happened?" he growled. "Who did this to you?" He looked like he was ready to personally rip the offender's heads off.

"Relax, Derek, it's fine," Spencer tried to say, but it was obvious Derek wouldn't calm down until he got to the bottom of it.

"The football team kinda cornered me yesterday," he said sheepishly.

"And they punched you?" the older boy said angrily.

"It was an accident!" That only seemed to fuel Derek's anger.

"That is no accident!" Derek swore under his breath. "That son of a bitch, Aaron Hotchner. First Emily, now you."

"Wait, what?" Spencer said in horror. "I never said Aaron Hotchner did this."

Derek rolled his eyes slightly. "You said the football team, and last time I checked, he was the_ captain._"

Spencer was torn. He wanted to tell Derek that Aaron was actually really nice, but Emily made him promise that she would be the one to talk to Derek.

Yesterday had been a great day for him. Well, aside from the whole football team beating him up thing. He had really enjoyed himself at Emily's house. That afternoon had reminded him of the days he used to spend hanging out with Aaron. He had actually listened to Spencer's mini-lecture about Star Trek, and he seemed to enjoy the show. He hadn't seemed like the jock Derek thought he was.

"I'm going to find that Hotchner and let him have it," Derek muttered viciously.

"No, Derek, stop!" Spencer cried, grabbing his friend's arm.

Derek looked at him like he had five heads. "Why? He's gone too far this time."

"He didn't do this to me," Spencer said desperately. "He was the one who stopped the team."

Derek looked like he didn't believe him. "Seriously?" he asked doubtfully.

"Yes, seriously," Spencer said. "Emily will explain later."

"Emily was there?" Derek asked, now looking very confused.

"She was after," Spencer said exasperatedly. "Just wait until lunch before you go on some rampage."

Derek muttered something that sounded like, "Yeah, sure, whatever." Then he stomped off. Spencer could only hope that he wasn't going to kill anyone.

* * *

><p>JJ felt weird.<p>

She didn't know how to explain it. Something was gnawing at her gut, deep down, but she couldn't quite figure out what it was.

If she had to figure out a time when it appeared, she would suppose it was around last night, when she was spending time with Will.

What did they do? They sat around on the couch at his house because his parent's weren't home. They watched TV and made out every now and then. Was that what had her stomach twisted?

She wrinkled her nose. No, that wasn't it. She thought harder.

What did they talk about? Will told her all about some football strategies they were working on. The team had a winning streak going on.

JJ frowned. That wasn't it either.

What else had he talked about? He had complained about his stupid Calculus teacher. Nope. He had eagerly given her a play-by-play description of what he and the team had done to Spencer Reid….. Oh.

That was it. She knew right away because her gut twisted even more as soon as it popped into her head.

Normally when Will told her about something they had done to a nerd, she laughed. But when she heard about this incident, she fell silent.

"JJ?" Will asked when he finished his story and didn't get a response from his girlfriend.

"That's horrible," she whispered.

"What?" he asked in a confused voice. "What are you talking about?"

"Uh…. Nothing," she said quickly. She had planned to say something else, but she chickened out.

Spencer Reid was fourteen years old. Fourteen. It wasn't fair to have a group of boys much older and bigger than him attack him. From what Will had said, the younger boy looked like he was going to throw up. JJ wanted to throw up. They had made him physically ill! _Her boyfriend_ had made him physically sick!

_Why do you care all of a sudden? _An annoying voice in her head asked. _You never did before._

It was true, she had never felt this guilty about anything, and she didn't even do it!

_It's just because he's my tutor and he's keeping me from failing, _she thought. _Yeah, that's it._

When she walked into History, she immediately noticed that Will was retelling the story again to a group of guys from the soccer team. He had them captivated.

"….And his hand missed the loser's shoulder, so it hit his face!" The group laughed loudly.

"That's hilarious!" one guy crowed. Everyone else agreed.

JJ stiffly sat down in her seat. She felt as though she should say something, but she couldn't get the courage to. Glancing around the room, she saw that Derek Morgan looked positively murderous. She had almost forgotten that he was friends with Spencer.

She watched Derek clench his hands into fists and slowly stand up.

_Oh, no_, she thought. She was about to warn Will when someone beat her to it.

"Will! Give it a rest!" Aaron said harshly, glaring at all the boys. They quickly dispersed, dropping into their seats.

JJ quickly looked at Derek. If anything, he looked even more angry at the sight of Aaron, but to her relief, he sat back down.

"Aaron, what's with that? I was telling them about what happened yesterday," Will complained.

"I know," Aaron said darkly. "And I think you've told them enough, so give it a rest."

Will shot him a confused look. "What is up with you, man? You've been acting weird."

"Nothing's up with me, I just don't like what you and the guys did yesterday."

"Why? It was funny," Will said as if it was obvious.

"No. No, it wasn't," Aaron said in an angry tone. "You guys need to lay off Spencer Reid. He's just a kid, he doesn't need you guys hurting him."

Will looked beyond confused now, but before he could say anything else, the teacher walked in, stopping all conversation. Everyone went to their seats.

JJ glanced at Aaron. He was sitting rigidly in his chair, staring straight forward.

_That was odd, _she thought. She knew he never joined in on the teasing as much as everyone else, but he had never defended someone like that. He had never stood up to Will in that way.

During the class, JJ realized her guilt had lessened slightly. It was because Aaron had taken charge and stood up for Spencer. It meant that the younger boy wasn't completely alone, and that actually soothed her.

As soon as the bell rang at the end of class, Aaron practically sprinted out of the room. Shooting Will an apologetic look, JJ rushed after him. She caught up with him halfway down the hall.

"Where did all that come from?" she asked in amazement.

"Where did what come from?" he said briskly, not looking at her.

"Why did you let Will have it about the whole Spencer Reid thing?" she asked, slightly irritated at the fact that he wouldn't look at her.

"I don't like how everyone picks on him just because he's younger than us. It's not fair. He's a good kid."

"I know that," she said softly. That got Aaron to stop walking. He slowly turned to face her.

"You do?" he asked bluntly. "Then why didn't _you_ tell Will to shut up?"

She hadn't expected to have him accuse her. "You know he wouldn't listen to me," she tried.

"No, I don't know that. It wouldn't have killed you to try." He started walking again.

Now she was more than irritated. "Hey!" She hurried to catch up with him. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Aaron took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "I wish everyone would stop asking me that."

"Then give someone a good answer," she fired back.

He stared at her with a sudden intensity. "I'm just realizing what I should have ages ago." The bell rang, signaling the start of the next class. "Shit, I'm late for working with Emily. Be nice to Spencer!" With that, he ran off.

JJ remained standing there. What did all that mean? She was utterly confused at her friend's behavior.

Shaking her head, she continued to walk towards the library. When she walked in, she looked toward the back and saw Aaron there with Emily.

That's when it hit her.

He had called her _Emily_, not Prentiss.

Her mouth fell open slightly. Was _that _why he was acting odd?

She didn't know, but she was definitely going to find out.

Walking over to her and Spencer's usual table, her stomach dropped when she saw the fourteen-year-old.

Right there on his jaw was a large purple bruise.

Her mouth fell open even more. She knew Will had said someone accidentally punched him, but she hadn't expected it to be _that_ bad.

Spencer looked up when she sat down, and her heart broke slightly when she saw a small look of fear fill his eyes.

He was scared of her.

"Hey," she said tentatively, trying to soothe him a bit. It didn't work.

"Hi," he said quietly. "Let's get to work, shall we?" He began to go over the latest lesson with her, and she listened attentively. She couldn't stop looking at the bruise though. What if Will had been the one to punch him? Would he even feel bad?

When the bell rang at the end of the period, Spencer jumped up. He began shoving all his books into his messenger bag.

"Great job today, JJ. I'll see you tomorrow." He quickly began to walk away, but JJ grabbed his arm.

"Wait," she said, unsure of what she even wanted to say. Spencer's eyes were filled with fear again.

As she looked into his wide eyes, however, she suddenly knew what to say.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Whatever he was expecting, that wasn't it.

"What?" he said in a stunned voice.

"I'm sorry," she repeated in a louder voice.

"But," he frowned. "You didn't do anything."

"Exactly. I didn't do anything to help you." She quickly released his arm and dropped her eyes to her paper. "I'm sorry."

Spencer stood there with his mouth open. "It's, uh, okay." He slowly began to walk away, leaving JJ there alone.

_No, _she thought sadly. _It's not._

**A/N: And now JJ's starting to come around! It's only a slight change though... she won't be joining the gang for awhile.**

**For people who want to see more Emily/Aaron/Spencer bonding, I can't really fit it into the story at the moment, but if I have the chance I will write some tie-in one-shots. Just give me some prompts if there's anything you would like to see. :)**

**And if you haven't checked out my poll yet, please do so. I would really appreciate it!**

**Thank you for reading and reviewing! :) :)**


	19. Giving Chances

BAU High School 

Chapter 19: Giving Chances 

"I'm sorry I'm late," Aaron panted, throwing himself down onto his chair.

"It's okay," Emily said curiously. "You're not that late." She looked at him closely. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he said shortly. "There is absolutely _nothing_ wrong with me."

She frowned as his tone and leaned back in her chair. "Well, sorry I asked, you just seem upset."

Aaron closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "No, I'm sorry. It's just…." His voice trailed off. Emily waited patiently for him to speak.

He opened his eyes and looked at her. "I talked to Will about…. Yesterday."

"Ohh," Emily said, catching on. She tilted her head towards him. "And what did he say?"

Aaron bit his lip. "He tried to play it off as a joke. When I walked into History, he was telling a bunch of guys all about it. I told him to stop, and he asked me what my problem is."

"What did you say to that?" she prodded gently.

He sighed. "I said there was nothing wrong with me and he should stop tormenting Spencer."

"You did?" Emily whispered, stunned. She knew he said he was going to talk to the whole team, but she wasn't sure if he really would. Part of her couldn't help but continue to be wary of him. However, the fact that he talked to his _best friend _about it soothed her. He was serious about changing.

Aaron nodded. "I've never talked to him like that." He said it absent-mindedly, as if he was talking to himself.

"How did you talk to him?" she asked gently, trying to bring him back to earth.

He looked up in surprise, as if he was stunned at the question. "I basically yelled at him." He looked down at the table. "How could I have been so blind?"

"I'm sorry?" Emily asked in a confused voice.

He raised his eyes to gaze at her. They were filled with guilt.

"How could I have ignored what they've been doing all these years? How?"

She shook her head. "I don't know, but you can't blame yourself. That's what you're beginning to do, and you have to stop. It's not your fault."

"I can be just as bad as them," he protested.

"Could. You _could_ be as bad as them, but you're not. You're changing."

Aaron slumped back into his chair. "I guess that's what I'm doing, isn't it?"

Emily gave him a sympathetic look. "Do you want to?" She tried her best not to look too eager to hear his answer.

He was silent for a couple of minutes. Emily let him think it over because she knew this was difficult for him. She was trying her best to be supportive, even when all she wanted to do was yell in his face, "YES! You DO want to change!"

However, as every minute passed, she became more and more worried. If he was thinking about it that much, it didn't seem promising that he wanted to change.

She bit her lip as she watched him, deep in thought.

_What if he doesn't want to change? _She thought. In reality, she shouldn't get upset if he didn't. They had only been friends for twenty-four hours; that was hardly enough time to form a genuine friendship.

And yet…. Emily sighed. There was no denying it: She would be _very_ upset if Aaron didn't want to change. Yesterday had shown her how sweet and funny he could be, and she thought that side of him was stifled when he was with his other friends. It wasn't fair that someone as amazing as him should be pretending to be someone else.

_Amazing? Did I just use the word _amazing _to describe him? _Before she could figure out what _that_ meant, he finally spoke.

"I think I do," he said softly.

Emily blinked. He had taken so long to answer, she almost forgot exactly what the question was. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

Aaron rolled his eyes slightly. "I said, I think I do want to change." He raised his eyes to meet hers. He looked both nervous and excited.

_YES! _Emily screamed in her head. Outside, she offered him a reassuring smile. "I'm glad." Aaron smiled, and at the sight of his dimples, she blushed slightly.

"I'm sure Spencer will be glad too," she said quickly, dropping her eyes to the table. When he had smiled at her…. _Don't go there Emily._

"I hope he will be too," Aaron said, still watching her closely. He was again reminded of how adorable she looked when she blushed.

"Maybe you can hang out with us this weekend?" Emily asked hopefully. She really enjoyed spending time with him now that they were friends.

"I'd like that, but I have a game Friday," he said apologetically.

"What about Saturday?" she pressed, praying she didn't sound too desperate.

Now he winced. "Uh, there's this party that Haley's dragging me to…" His voice trailed off as he looked down at the table. He hoped that she would see how much he didn't want to go, but he had a feeling it wouldn't work out that way.

Emily's heart dropped at the mention of his girlfriend. Part of her suddenly became angry. If he wanted to change, shouldn't Haley be the first thing to go?

Aaron noticed how tightly Emily clenched her pencil. Damn it. She was angry.

"Emily?" he said, wanting her to say something.

"Of course. I should have known you'd want to spend your weekend with your girlfriend." She wasn't successful with keeping the sarcasm out of her voice.

Aaron closed his eyes. "Emily…."

She took a deep breath. "Sorry. It's just…. I guess I thought you would break up with her."

He bit his lip. She was right; he should break up with Haley. She wasn't good for him. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to end it. They had been together for four years. Part of him truly did love her, and he was afraid to lose that sweet girl he had fallen in love with.

_And so the coward makes a reappearance, _he thought sardonically.

"Why do you want me to?" he asked, already knowing her answer.

"You know why," she said tightly.

Aaron sighed. "I'm sorry, but I just can't end it."

"Why not?" Emily asked fiercely. She regretted it a second later. It was his life, he could do whatever he wanted to. If that meant he wanted to stay with his bitchy girlfriend, then so be it.

"If I can change, maybe she can too." At Emily's doubtful look, he continued. "Just think about it. Maybe you two could become friends."

She let out a humorless snort. "Right. And then we could go live in our magical castle in Candyland."

He frowned. "I'm serious."

"And so am I," she retorted. Then her face softened. "But it's your decision, so you can do what you want."

Aaron's frown disappeared. She was so understanding. "Thank you."

She gave him a half-hearted smile. "Don't mention it." They began to work then, stopping only when the bell rang.

Emily hesitated as she packed up her books. What was going to happen now? Was he going to walk to lunch with her, or just take off?

Aaron noticed her watching him as if she was waiting for him to decide something for her. He gave her a small smile.

"We can walk together, if you want."

She smiled. "Sure."

They began to walk towards the lunch room. Emily saw that Spencer had already left the library. That was understandable, considering what happened the day before and the fact that JJ was Will's girlfriend.

The two of them walked in silence, only it wasn't a tense silence like their work periods used to be. Now it was a comfortable silence.

"Hey," Emily said softly once they reached the cafeteria doors. "I'm going to talk to Derek and Penelope about you hanging out with us."

He gave her a grateful smile. "Thanks." He suddenly looked worried. "But what if they don't want me around you guys? What if they think I'm only doing it to hurt you?"

"They won't," she said firmly. "Besides, even if they do, that won't stop me from spending time with you."

The corners of his mouth began to turn up a little. "Really?"

"If you want me to," Emily said, a blush creeping up her face. Her stomach felt like it was doing somersaults.

"I do," he said, his smile growing. "I really do." Her stomach flipped even more.

Emily's smile grew into a full on grin, and Aaron felt a warm feeling spread through his body at the sight of it.

He turned to go into the lunch room, but paused and briefly touched her arm. "Good luck, and thanks."

"Don't thank me yet," she warned. He shrugged and entered the cafeteria. Emily waited a second before entering herself.

Why _does my stomach feel weird?_ She wondered as she walked over to her friends' table.

"Hey Em!" Penelope chirped when Emily sat down. Spencer waved. Before Emily could say anything, Derek cut her off.

"Please explain to me what happened yesterday. The genius won't tell me anything." He shot Spencer an annoyed look before fixing his glare on Emily.

She gave Spencer a grateful look, and then turned to Derek. "Alright, but you have to promise not to go nuts until I'm done. That means not interrupting." She gave him a pointed look.

Derek raised his hands in surrender. "I won't. Now tell me."

Taking a deep breath, Emily explained everything that happened, from what Spencer told her about his attack and Aaron saving him to the three of them at her house. Derek's eyes had widened when she told him how Aaron stayed and watched TV with them. She couldn't tell, but Emily was sure his hands were clenched into fists under the table.

When she was done, Derek was silent. He looked stunned. Penelope looked that way too, only her eyes were also filled with tears. She wrapped her arms around Spencer.

"Oh, my poor little Spence! Are you okay? Why didn't you tell me? Ugh, I'm so sorry this happened to you! If you want, I can ruin those boys with just a few computer keys."

"Relax, Pen," Spencer said, easing himself from her grip. "I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" she asked tearfully. "That was unfair and just plain cruel."

Spencer only nodded.

Emily looked over at Derek. He was staring at the jocks' table. Emily was pleased to see he wasn't shooting daggers, though he didn't look grateful.

"Derek?" she asked tentatively.

He turned his gaze on her. "What?" he asked flatly.

"What are you thinking?"

"I guess I should be thanking Aaron Hotchner for helping Spencer," he said reluctantly.

Emily sighed in relief. "Great. I'm glad you feel that way."

"That doesn't mean I have to like him," Derek said firmly.

Emily's stomach dropped. "What?"

"So he saved Spencer _once_. But what about all the other times? What about what happened to you? He set you up, remember?"

She bit her lip. She knew this would come up.

Penelope spoke up. "He has a point. Why are you so forgiving of him?"

"He's changing," she said simply. She explained what Aaron did and didn't do in Haley's plan for Emily's humiliation. When she was done, Derek stopped her from saying anything else.

"Okay, so he didn't send the text Whoop-de-do0. That still doesn't mean I have to like him."

Emily sighed in defeat. "You don't have to like him, but you should give him a chance."

"Why does he suddenly want to be our friend?" Derek asked angrily. "Why now?"

"He's jealous of us," Spencer said suddenly. This was the first time he had said anything since the beginning of lunch. "He can't be himself around his friends, but he can around us. He likes the things we do on the weekends, and he wishes his friends would too, but they don't. Also, he likes the things we like, only he doesn't let anyone know because his friends thing they're nerdy."

Derek stared at Spencer. "Wait, are you defending him? Seriously?"

Spencer held Derek's gaze. "Yesterday, when we were watching TV, I saw a side of Aaron that not many people see. And I liked it. He's a good guy, and I would really like to be his friend."

Derek looked at Emily. "And you too? You want to be this jerk's friend?"

"Yes," Emily said simply, remembering Aaron's grateful smile. "I really do."

"What if he hurts you?" Derek asked desperately. "Then what?"

"He won't," Emily said, surprised at how sure she was. "Besides, we're only going to be friends. It's not like I'm entrusting him with my life or anything. If he hurts me or any of you, I'm going to kick his ass to hard, he'll regret it for the rest of his life."

That got a smile out of Derek, though it was gone in a second. He looked at Penelope. "Are you okay with this?"

Penelope looked from Derek to Emily to Spencer. "I don't completely trust him," she started. "But I'm willing to give him a chance."

Derek hung his head in defeat. "Alright, fine, I'll give him a chance." He snapped his head up. "But I'm not going easy on him."

"Figured," Emily muttered. She grinned at her friends. "Thank you for understanding." She ignored Derek's annoyed huff.

Pulling out her phone, she texted Aaron. _Derek agreed to giving you a chance, but he's not going easy on you. _

His reply came back in a minute. _I figured as much. Thank you. _

**A/N: As Aaron said at the beginning of the chapter, I'm sorry I'm late. I realize that 4 days isn't THAT late, but I meant to post it last night, and the website wasn'y letting me in. So here it is! I hope you liked the chapter, please give me some feedback. I really appreciate it!**

**Oh, and to everyone who gave me one-shot ideas, thank you. I will try to get to some of those soon. :)**


	20. Loyalty

BAU High School

Chapter 20: Loyalty

For the rest of the week, Aaron hung out with Emily every day after school. When his football practice let out, he would head down the street to her house. They mainly sat around and watched TV while eating some snacks. It wasn't much, but Aaron enjoyed every minute he spent with Emily. He had never had so much fun with a girl before, even Haley.

Speaking of Haley, he hadn't told her about his new friend. He didn't want to. She would be furious, and then plot something horrible against Emily.

However, as much as he didn't want to tell her, he would have to some time. He knew Emily was okay with the secret friends thing now, but soon she would get frustrated. Once she became frustrated, he would lose her friendship, and that was not an option.

Emily was different than any girl he had ever met. She was smart, funny, and incredibly sweet. She made him feel a way no girl ever had before. Aaron could relax around her. He couldn't believe how mean he had been to her at the beginning of the year. It made him feel terrible to think about it. He promised himself to never treat her that way again. He would never go back to the person he used to be.

There was one other thing about Emily: She was beautiful.

He had noticed that on the first day of school, but it wasn't important after he found out how Haley felt about her. Ever since then, he pushed that little detail about Emily away and tried to ignore it. And it had worked until that week. Once they had become friends, he noticed her smile, her big brown eyes, and how cute she looked when she blushed.

It was on Thursday that he really noticed it. They were both seated on the couch in her living room, a bowl of popcorn between them. Emily was lazily flipping channels while Aaron was staring out the window next to the TV. Suddenly Emily squealed.

"Oh my gosh, I love this show!" She had a huge smile on her face, and her eyes lit up. Aaron looked over at her and found himself smiling at how excited she was. Her eyes were dancing with delight, and it seemed like her smile lit up the small room.

Oh yeah. She was definitely beautiful.

* * *

><p>His teammates were wondering where he went every day. Normally Aaron was one of the last to leave. Now he was one of the first.<p>

"Where's he going?" Coach Rossi asked Will on Wednesday as they watched Aaron hurry out of the locker room.

"Beats me," Will muttered, slightly annoyed. As much as he insisted he was fine, Aaron was acting weird, and it frustrated Will how Aaron never told him what was up with him. They were supposed to be best friends, after all.

The team was mainly stunned at how sudden this change was. Just last week Aaron was staying late. Then one week later, he's leaving quickly. They were downright confused.

* * *

><p>On Friday, Aaron and Emily were working in the library as usual. Well, Emily was. Aaron, for the first time in his life, was distracted and not getting any work done. He was thinking about how much he wished he could hang out with Emily today after school. He knew she was getting together with Derek, Spencer, and Penelope while he had a game.<p>

He let out a frustrated sigh. _Since when do I not want to play football?_ He was confused.

Emily looked up when she heard him sigh. She saw that he had hardly any work done.

"What was that for?" she asked quizzically.

"What was what for?"

"You sighed."

He raised an eyebrow. "And my sigh means something?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, it does."

Aaron sighed again. "This is crazy," he muttered.

"What is?" Emily asked, now really confused.

He looked at her. "Us. Our friendship. How I feel about it."

Her heart started to race. It sounded like he wasn't happy.

"What's wrong with it?" she asked nonchalantly.

"Nothing, that's the thing." At Emily's confused look, he continued. "We haven't been friends for a week, and yet I would rather hang out with you then play football tonight."

Her eyes widened. "Seriously?" She knew how much he loved football.

He nodded. "I know. It's insane. I can't believe it."

Emily frowned. "You make it sound like a bad thing."

He shook his head quickly. "It's not, trust me. I'm just… Happy that I feel so comfortable with you." The two of them began to blush.

"I feel comfortable with you too," she said shyly.

* * *

><p>That night, Aaron was in the locker room with his teammates as they finalized their strategy for the game. The team had lost only one game all season, and they refused to lose another.<p>

Rossi stood in front of a white board displaying all their plays for the game. The team listened attentively.

Once Rossi was done explaining the game plan, he turned to the team.

"Now look," he said. "We've beat this team before, so we have a slight advantage. But that doesn't mean you guys can just sit back and relax. We haven't made it to the championship yet. We still need to work hard." He smiled at the team. "I know you guys can do it, so let's play a good game, alright?"

The team whooped and stood up, gathering in the center of the room. They put their hands in the middle of their little cluster. Rossi nodded to Aaron, who yelled, "One.. Two… Three.."

"DEFENSE!" the whole team yelled. They cheered and headed towards the door with grins on their faces. Aaron was about to join them when he heard his phone ring from his locker. Thinking he was all alone, he pulled it out and read the text message he just received.

_Good luck, I know you'll do great. You can hang out with us next weekend. –Em_

Aaron felt a huge smile spread across his face. There was nothing like a text from Emily to make him feel better.

He was about to reply when he heard a voice behind him. "That from Haley?"

Aaron spun around to see Rossi standing there. "Oh, hey. I thought you left with the team."

Rossi shook his head. "I saw you hang back, and I've been meaning to talk to you."

Aaron gulped, though he didn't know why he did. He had done nothing wrong. "Okay, go ahead." He slipped his phone back into his locker after sending Emily a thank you and a smiley face.

Rossi looked at him closely. "Are you alright? I've noticed you've been acting… Odd this week."

Aaron restrained himself from rolling his eyes. "There's nothing wrong with me. I'm fine."

"Okay," Rossi said calmly. "I've just noticed that you've been leaving practice early this week, and that you haven't been hanging out with your teammates."

"I just have a lot of homework," Aaron lied. He was surprised at how easily he could say that. He had never lied to Rossi. He was like a father to Aaron, which was important for Aaron because his real dad could be impossibly harsh on him sometimes. And though he never directly abused Aaron, his father had hit him once or twice.

Rossi nodded in understanding. "I see." He started to walk out of the locker room before he paused by Aaron. He looked at the teenager right in the eyes. "You would tell me if something _was_ wrong, right?"

Aaron was suddenly overcome with the urge to tell Rossi everything: how he was unsure of his relationship with Haley, how he was unhappy with his friends, and most importantly, how he was now friends with Emily Prentiss. He felt like he could use someone's reassurance.

"I would," Aaron said instead. "I promise." Rossi nodded and clapped him on the back.

"Let's go win a football game," Rossi said, guiding his star player out to the field.

* * *

><p>They won by a landslide: 28-6. Aaron was actually feeling better about being around his teammates, so much so that he went out with them after for pizza. He briefly considered going over to Emily's before realizing that him coming directly from a game would piss Derek off.<p>

Saturday night had him going to a party thrown by Haley's friend Jordan. He really didn't want to go. It wasn't just because he wanted to hang out with Emily. He had already taken care of that by talking to her on the phone for an hour that afternoon.

No, Aaron didn't want to go because he was _exhausted_. Between school and football, he didn't get much sleep. Will said he was stupid for staying up to finish all his assignments.

"No teacher is going to fail you," he pointed out.

Aaron knew that was true, yet he felt he _had_ to complete it all. Emily said it was because he was a workaholic. He had just rolled his eyes in response.

Anyway, there he was on Saturday night at Jordan Todd's house. He really didn't want to be there. Haley had run off with her cheerleader friends as soon as they had gotten there, leaving Aaron to stand with other athletes.

"Hey, did you hear about what we did to that nerd Spencer Reid?" Will asked the group. No matter how many times Aaron told him to quit it, Will still felt the need to tell everyone about it. It made Aaron sick.

"Excuse me," he muttered, leaving the group. He intended to go outside for some air when Haley ran up and grabbed his arm.

"Let's dance!" she yelled over the loud music, dragging him to the center of the makeshift dance floor. She immediately began grinding up against him.

He danced rather stiffly, not really getting into it. He was never one for dancing, mainly because he sucked at it. Haley would always beg him to dance though, so he would.

After a few songs, he got bored. "Let's go outside," he called to Haley over the pounding bass. She nodded somewhat reluctantly, and he took her hand and brought her out to the back porch that overlooked the closed pool.

"What's up, babe?" she asked once they could hear again.

He shrugged. He wasn't really sure why he pulled her out there. Part of him thought it was because he wanted to talk to her, but now that they were in the perfect environment for talking, he didn't know what to say.

_I'm never without something to talk about around Emily, _he couldn't help but think.

"Uh… How are you?" Aaron asked. _Idiot,_ he thought a second later. _Could you sound any stupider? _

Haley raised her eyebrows. "Fine." She gave him an odd look before saying, "You'll never believe what JJ told me."

He was never one for gossip, but he was grateful for something to talk about. "What?"

She watched him closely, gauging his reaction as she said, "She's under the impression that you're friends with Emily Prentiss."

His stomach lurched, and he struggled to keep his face impassive. Thankfully, he was blessed with an amazing poker face.

"Why would she think that?" he asked carefully.

"You called her 'Emily' the other day," Haley accused. He gulped slightly.

_Just tell her, _a voice in his head urged him. _You want to take your life over, right?_ He told the voice to shut up.

"Is it so wrong if I do?" Aaron asked cautiously. Haley's eyes widened.

"So you _did_ call her Emily!"

He rolled his eyes. "That _is _her name."

Her eyes narrowed. "You've been calling her Prentiss since the first week of school," she said through clenched teeth.

Aaron closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I've noticed _Emily_ isn't a bad a person as you think she is."

His girlfriend looked horrified. "Wait. Do you _like _her now?"

_Here I go, _he thought. "So what if I do?"

Haley was silent, and he knew she was furious. She was only dead silent when she was _extremely _angry.

After what felt like ten years, she spoke. "What do you like about her?" Her voice was tight and controlled, like she was trying to stop herself from screaming. He knew it was only because they were at a party.

"She's nice and smart. She doesn't care what people think, and she's nice to everyone." He didn't mention that she was very pretty.

"Is that it?" Haley said disdainfully.

"I can be myself around her," he said without thinking. Haley's mouth fell open.

"What, and you can't around me?" Her voice was bordering on hysteric.

"No," Aaron said quickly. "It's not that, it's just that I'm someone different around Emily."

"There you go again!" she cried. "EMILY!"

Aaron found himself getting mad at Haley. "Why do you hate her?" he shouted. "What has she ever done to you?"

"She came into _my _school and-"

Aaron cut her off. "It's not _your _school," he said heatedly. "It's nobody's school. You don't have the right to go around and make everyone's lives miserable!"

Haley looked like he had slapped her. He took a deep breath. He had never yelled at her like that, and to be honest, it felt good.

Though there was a tiny part of him that felt guilty.

"Maybe," he said quietly, "We should take a break."

"NO!" Haley shrieked. Aaron jumped back in surprise. _Where did _that _come from? _

"No," she said again, this time more quietly. "We shouldn't."

He sighed. "Haley, I don't like the way you treat people, and-"

"Then I'll change," she said hurriedly. "If you can, then I can too. Please, Aaron."

In the whole time he had known her, Aaron never heard Haley beg like this. Never. If she wanted something, she would give a little pout that would render him defenseless. She never pleaded with him.

He was still debating on what to do when she said, "Do you really want to throw our relationship away over some girl you met a month ago?"

That did it for him. Haley knew commitment and loyalty was important to Aaron. She knew he would choose her over Emily. Inside, she was grinning deviously.

Outside, she was giving him a helpless look. "Please, Aaron," she said softly. She knew he also couldn't resist soothing a girl who was upset.

He slowly turned his head to look at her. Those eyes…. Yeah, he was screwed.

"Fine," he said quietly. Haley began to grin when he added, "But you have to promise to be nicer to people. To everyone."

She almost rolled her eyes, but caught herself in time.

"Promise me, Haley," Aaron said firmly.

She gave him a sweet smile. "I promise."

She was crossing her fingers behind her back.

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who has read/reviewed/alerted/favorited this story! I really appreciate it. Please let me know what you think of this chapter, I don't think it's my best work.**

**Oh, and as someone pointed out last week, it's been a month since I started posting this story! YAY! :) Thank you Tessa for letting me know!**


	21. I Dub Thee Hotch

**This is a long one... Over 3 thousand words! I had a lot of fun writing it though, so I hope you like it!**

BAU High School 

Chapter 21: I Dub Thee Hotch

Monday morning, JJ was walking to her first class when someone grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into an empty classroom.

"What the hell?" she yelled, ready to punch whoever touched her when she realized it was Haley.

"Sorry," Haley said unapologetically.

"Jeeze, Haley, are you _trying_ to give me a heart attack?" JJ asked angrily. Her heart was pounding.

"We have a problem," Haley said, ignoring her friend's distress.

"And it couldn't have waited until lunch or something?" JJ asked in an annoyed tone.

"Well, I tried to call you last night, but you wouldn't pick up!"

Last night…. Oh, yeah. She had been with Will.

"Alright, what's the issue?" JJ asked tiredly.

"Aaron is friends with that loser Prentiss!"

_I knew it, _JJ thought. She had a feeling they had become close over the past week. Him calling her Emily was the last shred of evidence.

"So just tell him you don't like them being friends," she suggested dully. She would have thought Haley would have done that from the beginning.

"I tried," Haley said tightly. "He suggested we take a break."

JJ's mouth fell open. "He did not!"

"Yes, he did!" she said shrilly.

"So what did you say to that?" JJ asked, dropping into a nearby chair. Haley sank into the one next to her.

"I gave him my poor, defenseless look and begged him to stay with me," she said with a shrug. JJ grinned.

"That's my girl."

Haley smiled for a second, and then frowned. "But he told me the only way he'd stay with me is if I... _Change._" She shuddered at the thought.

JJ was confused. "Change? What's that supposed to mean?"

"He doesn't like the way I treat people," Haley said, as if that was unbelievable. "I mean, what's wrong with the way I treat people?"

JJ didn't answer the question, instead asking, "So what did you say then?"

"I told him I would."

JJ's mouth fell open again. That didn't sound like Haley. "What?"

Haley waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, please. I was lying. I crossed my fingers behind my back."

"Oh," JJ said faintly. She looked at Haley. "So what are you going to do when Aaron realizes you're not being nicer to people?"

"He won't care, because we are going to stop him from changing," Haley said happily.

"Huh?" JJ said dumbly. "I don't understand."

"Well, you _are_ failing English Literature," Haley said smoothly, ignoring JJ's hurt look. She wasn't failing and Haley knew that.

She continued. "I'm going to help him see that hanging out with those losers isn't what he really wants. It shouldn't be too hard. Aaron's not like them, and he'll realize that soon enough."

"I don't know," JJ said slowly, still upset about Haley's earlier comment. "He seems to be enjoying himself now."

"Well, of course he is _now. _It's all new to him. Pretty soon, though, he'll miss our group and everything we do. And when he does, we'll be there to welcome him back."

Haley stood up then and strutted towards the door. She looked back at JJ when she reached it. "And you'll help me, of course."

"When did I say that?" JJ asked carefully.

Haley rolled her eyes. "You're my best friend, you're _supposed _to help me."

With that, she left a dumbstruck JJ standing there alone.

* * *

><p>"Are you free this Saturday?" Emily asked Aaron hurriedly during third period. She needed to see if he would be able to hang out with her and her friends soon. Derek kept making snide comments all weekend about how Aaron was too busy to get to know them, and Emily was eager to stop it.<p>

Aaron looked up in surprise. "Yeah, I should be. Why, are you getting together with your friends?"

She nodded. "Yep, and you are too."

He nodded as well. "Okay. Great." He took a deep breath. "This weekend."

Emily cocked her head. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I guess I'm just worried about hanging out with your friends." He let out a humorless laugh. "That probably sounds pretty stupid, right?"

She gave him a small smile. "No, it doesn't. I would be surprised if you weren't nervous."

He returned her smile with his own uneasy one. "I just want them to like me."

"And they will. Think about it: You've already won over Spencer and I. Penelope is nice to _everyone_, and Derek will come around once he gets to know you. Trust me."

"Okay," Aaron said with a small smile. "So what are we doing?"

"I don't know, Derek is picking," she said with a shrug. She knew why Derek was making the final decision over what they were doing: He wanted to pick something he knew Aaron would hate so he could see how badly he wanted to be their friend.

Emily looked at the handsome boy sitting in front of her. She knew he would do fine and pass Derek's tests. He just had to.

* * *

><p>JJ twirled her pencil around in her hands, her mind far away. Spencer was droning on about some old author from England, but JJ wasn't paying attention. She had tried to, honestly, yet her mind kept going back to her conversation with Haley.<p>

How was one supposed to stop someone from changing? It didn't seem possible, especially if said person actually wanted to change. You couldn't prevent someone from living their life the way they wanted to. Even though Haley probably thought she could, JJ knew she couldn't. She hadn't been able to stop Aaron from becoming friends with Prentiss.

JJ looked to the back of the library towards where Aaron and Prentiss were sitting. From what she could see, JJ could tell that Aaron was more relaxed over there than he had been before. He wasn't sitting rigidly in his chair or hunched far over his work. No, he was sitting comfortably in the wooden chair, even leaning back slightly. His hands rested casually on the table.

She wasn't sure if the distance had anything to do with it, but she could have sworn that she saw his shoulders shake as if he was laughing.

JJ knew for a fact that Aaron didn't laugh as much as other people. In fact, he could be quiet humorless sometimes.

She bit her lip. Even if Haley _could_stop him from changing, how did JJ factor in? She wasn't close to Aaron, and therefore didn't have a large influence over him. JJ spared another glance in his direction. Did she even want to stop him? He seemed so happy, and he was standing up for Spencer, which made JJ happy.

Speaking of Spencer…

"JJ!"

"What?" JJ asked dumbly, spinning back around to face her younger tutor. He was eyeing her warily.

"You weren't paying attention," he said simply.

She bit her lip. "Sorry." She looked down at the table, feeling bad. Ever since the football team incident the other week, she had been trying to be nicer to the kid. However, that proving to be rather hard. She couldn't help the little snide comments that escaped her lips.

She wasn't always this way. JJ actually used to be the nicest girl in her class. Then she met Haley in eighth grade, and everything changed. Haley wasn't nice to anyone, except for the people she deemed cool. JJ was one of those people.

And when Haley was nice, she was a freaking saint. JJ could count on her to be there for whatever, at least in the past. Now, not so much.

But back then, Haley made JJ feel special. She showed her new clothes and music, and she let her in on secrets that nobody else knew. From then on, they were best friends. They spent every minute together, so it wasn't a surprise when JJ started to act like Haley.

Spencer sighed, bringing JJ back to the present. "It's okay." It actually wasn't. He wished she would just sit and pay attention. Maybe then she wouldn't constantly be on the verge of failing.

"No, it's not," she said, as if she was reading his thoughts. "I'm just distracted today."

He frowned. What should he do? Should he just stay out of it, or should he ask her what was wrong? They were not best friends. They weren't even friends. But Spencer felt that their study sessions had led to a kind of understanding like the one Aaron and Emily had formed before they became friends.

JJ solved his problem for him. "How do you stop someone from changing?" she asked expectantly. The kid was a genius; he had to know _something_ about it.

"Excuse me?"

She repeated the question. He stared at her in confusion.

"Uh… Is that even possible?"

JJ rolled her eyes. "I thought you were a genius." Spencer ducked his head.

"Well, I suppose you could just remove all the things that are causing this person to change from their life."

JJ looked to the back of the library again. "That could work."

Spencer followed JJ's gaze and saw where she was looking. _Oh no, _he thought. _What did I do?_

* * *

><p>The week passed by very slowly. There were times when the students asked if time had stopped. When the final bell rang on Friday, everyone ran out of the school, like they had super speed.<p>

Derek stopped Aaron as they all walked out of Psychology.

"So, you want to hang with us this weekend?" It may have been phrased as a question, but it wasn't a friendly invitation.

Aaron glanced at Emily. She gave him a reassuring smile and a tiny nod. He looked Derek in the eye.

"Yeah, I do. That is, if you don't mind."

Derek's eyes narrowed. "I actually do, but Emily and Spencer want me to give you a chance, so I will. But only one."

Aaron nodded. "Thanks."

Derek's face softened a tiny bit. "Yeah, whatever. We're going mini-golfing tomorrow afternoon." He watched Aaron's face for his reaction, curious to see if he wouldn't be happy about the activity.

But Aaron only nodded. "Great. See you there at six?"

Derek was speechless, so Emily leaned over and said, "Yep. See you then." She then proceeded to pull Derek away.

The following afternoon, Aaron pulled into the local mini-golf course. He hadn't been there in ages.

He knew Derek chose this just to see if he was going to flip out. But the joke was on him because Aaron actually liked mini-golf.

"You made it!" he heard Emily yell as soon as he stepped out of his car. He spotted her standing by the counter where you get the clubs and balls with Derek, Penelope, and Spencer. They were all holding their clubs and colored balls.

Aaron tugged on a sweatshirt as he walked over. It was the middle of October and it was beginning to get chilly.

"Of course I did," he said once he reached the group. "I've been looking forward to this all week." He said hello to everyone and accepted a golf club from the attendant. He also picked a dark blue ball.

"You didn't have some football party to run off to?" Derek asked snidely. Emily shot him a warning look.

"Actually, there was one tonight, but I didn't want to go. I wanted to come here." That was true. Haley called him this morning and basically demanded his attendance. He remained strong however, and promptly told her no. She was pissed for a minute, then told him there was another next weekend he "had" to go to. She hung up right after that.

"Really?" Spencer asked in awe. He still didn't fully understand why Aaron wanted to hang out with them. Derek rolled his eyes at Spencer's tone.

"Yes, really," Aaron teased. "By the way, I put Star Trek on my Netflix list. I'm getting hooked and I blame you." He gave the younger boy a grin to let him know he was joking.

"Alright, let's get started!" Penelope said eagerly. She was been quiet ever since Aaron walked up, mainly because she was a little intimidated. Him teasing Spencer helped her feel a bit more at ease though.

The five of them walked to the first hole, which was your typical windmill: You had to send the ball through the little tunnel in the windmill while avoiding the spokes.

"Go ahead, Hotchner," Derek said, nodding towards the hole. "You can go first." He was determined to beat Aaron, and going after him would help Derek know how many points he needed to win.

Aaron stepped forward and put his ball on the green. Taking the traditional golfing stance, he eyed the windmill for a few moments before sending the ball straight through the tunnel. Derek frowned.

Spencer ran forward to see where the ball landed. "Hole in one!" he called in amazement. Aaron grinned, and Emily and Penelope patted him on the back. Derek's frown grew.

"My turn," he muttered, setting his green ball on the ground. One solid tap sent in right through the windmill.

"Hole in one!" Spencer called again. Derek shot Aaron a triumphant look.

"Nice shot," Aaron said smoothly.

"You too," Derek said coldly.

Emily rolled her eyes and set her red ball down. "Boys," she muttered.

Her ball made it through as well, though it was not a hole in one. Penelope's pink ball followed Emily's through the windmill, though Spencer's purple one did not. It bounced back one before he made it through.

"I thought you told me once it was all about the angles," Derek teased.

"Not this one," Spencer muttered in defeat. "It's all about timing here."

At the second hole, Aaron was unable to get two holes in one. Derek, however, was.

"Ha! Beat that, Hotchner," he said cockily.

"Derek…" Emily scolded. "Be nice."

"No, Emily, it's fine," Aaron said. He needed to earn Derek's trust, and if he wanted a battle, then so be it. "I can take him."

At the next hole, Aaron beat Derek by sinking his ball in two tries. Derek's took three. He was angry to say the least.

"Lucky shot, Hotchner," he muttered.

"You know, Derek, you can call me Aaron," he said.

"Eh. Aaron's too popular sounding." Derek knew that was a lame excuse, but he didn't want to get all buddy-buddy with him.

"Suit yourself."

The five of them went through nineteen holes. Spencer knocked his ball into the water a few times, to everyone's chagrin. Emily and Penelope started a mock competition with each other, complete with trash talk.

Of course, their competition was nothing compared to Derek and Aaron's. They were out for blood. Derek of course started it, but Aaron couldn't help but join in after several taunting comments from Derek. It was a close call and they couldn't know who actually won unless they tallied the scores, which Spencer was doing while they all ate ice cream from a nearby stand.

Aaron sat down at a picnic table in content. He had a lot of fun. He knew that Derek was only putting him through the wringer because he didn't trust him, but as the game went on, Derek had let some of his guard down. He had begun to tease Aaron in a similar way to how he teased Spencer.

And Penelope had taken a liking to him right away. She always knew Aaron wasn't a coldhearted asshole, and today had confirmed it. He was incredibly nice and funny.

Emily was content as well. Aaron had definitely proved he could be one of them. She knew Penelope was happy, and she had a feeling that Derek didn't hate Aaron was much as before.

She cast a furtive glance at Aaron. He was talking to Penelope quietly about computer games. Apparently he was a fan.

Emily couldn't help but smile a bit. He was so cute with his dimples. His eyes sparkled with happiness, and she could tell that he was pleased with how the day had turned out.

_He's truly amazing,_ she thought. _So handsome, and sweet, and caring, and smart, and-_

Emily froze. What was she doing? She was thinking about him like he was a freaking prince.

_Maybe he is, _she thought absent-mindedly. _And maybe I'm just a princess looking for my prince._ She was never one for fairy tales, yet she couldn't help but think that it was true.

_Is he my prince?_ Before she could figure it out, Spencer startled her out of her reverie.

"I have the final scores!" he said eagerly. Everyone leaned forward.

"I came in last, of course. Then Penelope followed by Emily-"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Derek interrupted. "Who won?"

Spencer bit his lip before saying, "Aaron."

"What?" Aaron and Derek said at the same time.

"You won," Emily told Aaron with a grin. "Congratulations." She gave him a high five, complete with tingles running up her arm.

Penelope and Spencer gave him high fives as well. He turned to Derek, who was frowning at the table. Deciding to be the bigger person, Aaron stuck out his hand.

"Good game," he said sincerely. "You're very good. I didn't think I would be able to beat you."

"Yeah, well you did," Derek spat. Penelope smacked him on the arm. Derek sighed.

"You played well," he said reluctantly. "No one has ever beat me before, so you must be pretty awesome." After a moment's hesitation, he took Aaron's offered hand and shook it.

"Thanks," Aaron said softly. He watched Derek nod and look away.

"Hey," he said, causing Derek look back up. "I'm not doing this so I can go and stab you all in the back. I seriously want to make things right, and I want us to be friends."

Derek sat up straight and stared at him straight in the eye. Emily, Penelope, and Spencer watched with bated breath.

"I know," he said finally. Everyone's mouths fell open except for Aaron's. His face remained expressionless.

"I've never seen you act the way I've seen you act today," Derek continued. "I understand you just want to hang out with us, and I think you should."

"YES!" Spencer, Penelope, and Emily cheered. Aaron cracked a small grin.

"Wait," Derek said, holding up his hands. "One more thing: If you _do _hurt us or go back to the way you were, you are dead to me, and I will never forgive you."

Aaron nodded. "I understand." Then he smiled widely. "So are you still going to call me Hotchner?"

Derek chuckled. "I guess not, but I did mean what I said earlier. Aaron represents the football player. You need a nickname."

"Like what?"

Derek was suddenly struck with a great idea. It would be the final test. "We should call you Hotch." He knew Aaron wasn't crazy about the name, but if he was serious about being his friend, Aaron would make that sacrifice.

Aaron eyed him for a moment. Then his face split into a wide grin.

"Hotch it is."

**A/N: Yay, he's officially part of the group! Isn't that great? :) Please let me know what you thought of it!**

**Oh, and I need to clear this up right now: I am not going to write a teen pregnancy storyline. I was never planning to. It just doesn't fit the rest of the story. I'm sorry if I've disappointed anyone, but I have a lot of other stuff planned, so stay tuned for that!**


	22. Halloween

BAU High School

Chapter 22: Halloween

After the five friends played mini-golf, they all went out for pizza. Aaron never had so much fun. Derek had warmed up to him a whole lot, and he actually talked with Aaron in a nice way. Of course, he also called him Hotch every five minutes, but Aaron didn't mind. He was surprised to discover that he actually liked the nickname. It represented the great things to come.

Haley tried calling him all weekend, which really frustrated him. It was like she couldn't trust him. Ever since he had confessed to being friends with Emily, Haley had become incredibly clingy.

He had a feeling as to why she was doing it, but he didn't say anything. It wasn't worth the fight at the moment.

Aaron also decided to keep his other friends on the down low for a while. He wasn't going to lie if someone confronted him about it, but he wasn't going to go around advertising it.

He was surprised at how easily he fit in with Derek, Penelope, Spencer, and Emily. Penelope had welcomed him with open arms, and though Derek wasn't as close to him as he was to Spencer, he had accepted Aaron into their small group.

Every weekend, Aaron looked forward to hanging out with them. They would have movie nights and go out for pizza. Occasionally they would do something different, like bowling.

Whenever they did things that had an opportunity for competitions, Derek challenged Aaron. He was still a tad bit upset about Aaron beating him in mini-golf, and he was determined to beating him in _something._

"STRIKE!" Derek yelled victoriously the night they went bowling. He and Aaron were neck and neck, and that strike had just pushed him into the lead.

"Way to go Derek!" Penelope cried, giving him a bone-crushing hug.

Derek stepped back and smirked at Aaron. "Go ahead Hotch. Beat that."

Aaron rolled his eyes and picked up his ball. "So competitive," he teased, causing Emily and Spencer to laugh. Derek smacked them both on the arm.

Aaron took a deep breath and stepped up to the line. After a brief pause, he swung his arm and sent the ball rolling down the lane towards the pins. It hit them with a loud crash and knocked over all but one.

"YES!" Derek cheered.

Aaron swore under his breath and knocked the remaining pin down. He stomped back to the scoring table where Emily and Spencer where sitting. Derek stood behind them with a smug grin on his face.

"You got lucky, Morgan," Aaron said, giving him a pat on the back. He had taken to calling Derek by his last name whenever they competed.

"It's not luck. It's skill," Derek said, giving Aaron a little shove.

And so that was how they spent their Saturday nights. At least, that was how they spent their nights when Haley wasn't stealing Aaron from them.

There were several weekends when Haley found some crazy reason as to why she just _had _to spend time with Aaron. And he couldn't refuse.

"Seriously?" Emily asked dubiously one day. Aaron had just told her he couldn't hang out on Saturday because Haley needed him to help rearrange her room. "That's the stupidest thing I have ever heard, and I've heard some pretty dumb things.

Aaron sighed. "I know it's stupid, but I haven't really seen her this week, and she's getting upset. I am her boyfriend, after all."

Emily tried to ignore the way her heart sunk every time he said that. "I guess you _should _spend some time with her. I just think her reasoning is stupid."

"I'll agree with you on that. I have no clue as to why she needs me to rearrange her room. It's probably going to be really annoying and boring."

Usually though, Aaron was able to balance Haley and his new friends easily. However, there had been one day when it had gotten a little difficult.

Halloween.

It was the week after Aaron had officially been inducted into the group, so it was also around the time Derek was a little uneasy around him.

"Hey, Hotch," Spencer said in Psychology that Monday. "What are you doing this weekend?" He had also taken a liking to the new nickname, and he liked calling Aaron it.

"Uhh.. I don't know. I should be able to hang out though. What's the date for this weekend?"

"Halloween," Spencer said excitedly. It was his absolute favorite holiday, and he was beyond pumped for it. He had a bunch of ideas for his friends and he couldn't wait to tell them.

"Will you be able to do something with us?" Derek asked, eyeing Aaron carefully. He was just waiting for the other boy to say he had some awesome party to go to.

Aaron froze. Halloween. Right.

"Well…." He said guiltily. "I promised my little brother I would take him trick or treating."

Spencer waved his hand dismissively. "That's fine. He can come with us if you want."

Aaron was grateful for that, but there was one more thing. "And there's also a party I already promised Haley I would go to."

His friends fell silent. They knew Haley wasn't going to be taking their friendship lightly, and they knew she would try to keep Aaron to herself.

Derek couldn't help but be a little upset. They hadn't been friends for a week and Aaron was already choosing his bitchy girlfriend over them.

_Well he has known her longer,_ the understanding part of Derek's brain said.

_Shut up,_ the other part retorted.

Emily was upset too, but for slightly different reasons. She knew that if Aaron spent Halloween with Haley, he would be doing what she wanted to do. If he spent it with them, he could embrace a part of Halloween that he probably hadn't seen in years.

"Darn," Spencer said sadly. "I was hoping you could come with us." He had been excited to show his new friend his favorite holiday.

Aaron felt a pang in his gut when he heard Spencer's depressed reply. He immediately thought of a plan to make it all better.

"What if I leave the party early and have you guys over? We can watch scary movies or something."

Spencer sat up straight. "Can I wear my costume?"

Aaron laughed. "Of course."

"I'm in."

Emily bit her lip. This could work. And while she wanted him to dump Haley completely, it was a start.

"Sounds like fun," she said. "I'll be there." She had never seen Aaron's house before.

They all looked to Derek. They knew Penelope would be into it, so all that was left was Derek.

He let out an exaggerated sigh as if it was a huge hassle. "Yeah, I suppose that could work."

Spencer and Emily cheered, and Aaron grinned. "Perfect. I can get out of the party around nine-thirty, so you guys want to come over at ten?"

They all nodded. "Sounds great."

* * *

><p>At seven o'clock on Saturday, Aaron took his brother Sean trick or treating. Sean was five years old and was crazy about superheroes. He dressed up as Spiderman for the occasion, and he begged Aaron to wear a matching mask as well. Aaron couldn't resist saying no to the innocent little boy, so he found himself wearing a Spiderman mask.<p>

For almost an hour, Aaron walked dutifully around the neighborhood with Sean by his side. Sean would occasionally try to run ahead, but Aaron would grab his hand. Together, they went to every house on the street, including Spencer's. He was off with everyone else though, so Aaron only saw Spencer's mom. She was dressed in a completely crazy fashion, which amused Sean. Aaron was impressed with the house's decorations, and he knew it was all Spencer.

When Aaron returned to the Hotchner house, his parents were all ready to go to their own Halloween party that his father's law firm was throwing. They had agreed to take Sean for an hour or so, and Aaron would stop by and pick him up on his way home. He was pleased that he had an actual excuse to get out of the party.

He quickly ran upstairs to change into his costume: Robin Hood. Haley had decided to be Maid Marian, so she needed a Robin. Aaron only agreed because he liked the Kevin Costner movie (Though he was wearing the traditional green outfit).

Fifteen minutes later, he was pulling up to Will's house, which was where the party was. It was in full swing. The house was packed with juniors and seniors all dressed up. Guys wore various warrior-like costumes while the girls wore very skimpy outfits. Loud music blared from every corner of the house, and Aaron could barely hear his own thoughts. They would be lucky if the neighbors didn't call the cops.

"AARON!" Haley bellowed when he finally found her in the crowd of gyrating bodies. Her Maid Marian dress went well above her knees, and Aaron resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

She pulled him in a passionate kiss as soon as he reached them. Will was standing there wearing a cop costume. JJ was dressed as some kind of princess. Aaron had a feeling it was Glinda from The Wizard of Oz.

"I can't stay long," Aaron yelled after he and Haley broke apart. "I have to pick up Sean from my parent's party across town."

Haley pouted, though she was glad he wasn't running off to be with _Emily._ "I'll come with you," she suggested. "We can have some alone time when he goes to sleep." She added a wink directed toward Aaron so he would catch her drift.

He gulped and hastily said, "That's not a good idea. I promised Sean I would watch a movie with him." Okay, that was obviously a lie, but Haley didn't know better, so it didn't matter.

Aaron stayed for an hour. The minute the clock turned to nine o'clock, he gave Haley an apologetic look.

"Sorry, babe. I have to go." She opened her mouth to argue, and he cut her off with a kiss.

"Talk to you later!" he called over his shoulder as he exited the house. As soon as he reached his car, he pulled out his phone and called Emily.

"Hey!" she greeted. He could hear laughing in the background. "Are you done your duties as dutiful boyfriend?"

Aaron rolled his eyes. "Yes, I am. I just need to go pick up Sean, but you can head over to my house now." He gave her his address and hung up.

Fifteen minutes later he was pulling into his driveway with Sean fast asleep in the backseat. Emily's car was parked out front, and she stood on his front porch with Derek, Spencer, and Penelope.

From what he could see, Penelope was a fairy, Spencer was a doctor, and Derek was a ninja. Bags of Halloween candy sat at their feet.

As for Emily, he felt as though his breath was taken away. He could see her costume best of all because she was standing directly under the porch light. She wore a long black dress with dark red trim. The neckline dipped slightly, showing off a little bit of cleavage. Whenever she moved, the dress sparkled a bit. Her dark hair was pulled back into a bun with a few loose hairs escaping and framing her face beautifully.

She was gorgeous.

Aaron snapped himself out of his reverie and stepped out of the car. He waved to his friends, and then opened the back door to pull out Sean. He picked up his younger brother into his arms and slowly walked up the front walk. When he talked, it was in a whisper so he wouldn't wake his brother.

"Hey guys. I'm glad you could make it." He found himself staring at Emily. She was even more beautiful up close.

"Glad you could show up," Derek teased.

"Who's this adorable little man?" Penelope asked in a hushed tone, gesturing to Sean.

"This is my brother Sean," he said softly. "He's had a long night." As if he knew they were talking about him, Sean woke up at that moment.

"Huh?" he said in a dazed tone. Emily and Penelope both let out an "Aww."

"Sean, these are my friends," Aaron said, turning his body so the little boy could see everyone. "That's Derek, Spencer, Penelope, and Emily." His voice softened when he said Emily's name.

"Hi," Sean said in a little voice. "Are you a ninja?" He pointed at Derek, who looked impressed.

"As a matter of fact, I am. Nice job, kid." He gave Sean a high five.

"Nice Spiderman costume," Penelope said.

"What do we say Sean?" Aaron prompted.

"Thank you!" He looked at Emily. "You're pretty." She blushed.

"Thank you Sean. You look very handsome yourself."

_Guess my brother has good taste, _Aaron couldn't help but think.

"Come on buddy. We need to get you to bed." Aaron led them all inside. He nodded toward the kitchen down the hall. "You guys can go and grab some popcorn if you want and get set up in the living room. I'll be down in a second." He carried Sean up the stairs and brought him to his room.

He got Sean into his pajamas and tucked him in. "I'll be right downstairs if you need me, okay?" His brother nodded sleepily.

"I like your friends," Sean said slowly, already falling back asleep. Aaron smiled.

"Yeah, I do too." He gave his brother a kiss on the forehead and stood up. "Goodnight buddy."

"'Night Aaron. I love you."

Aaron felt his heart warm at Sean's words. He really looked up to Aaron.

When he returned downstairs, he saw his friends already spread out over the large living room. Spencer sat in front of the cabinet containing all the DVDs as he went through them trying to decide what to watch. Derek was laying on the floor with his bag of candy on his stomach. Emily and Penelope sat on the large leather couch.

"You guys still went trick or treating even though you're seniors?"

"Duh," they all said in unison.

"Besides," Derek said from the floor. "Spencer looks like he's in middle school, so we could claim he was our younger brother or something."

"Hey!" Spencer said in an offended tone.

"It's true Spence," Penelope said affectionately. He rolled his eyes and went back to the DVDs.

"Come eat candy Man in Tights," Emily joked. Derek burst out laughing.

"Yeah, what is with that costume Hotch? Robin Hood? Really?"

"It was Haley's idea," he muttered, throwing his hat at Derek.

"Did you know that Robin Hood…." Spencer immediately began sprouting some random factoid. Everyone tuned him out.

They eventually settled on _Psycho_. Aaron sat on the couch between Emily and Penelope, and Spencer leaned up against it with Derek. The five of them traded candy and popcorn throughout the movie.

During a particularly frightening scene, Emily jumped and latched herself onto Aaron's arm. He chuckled and looked down at her.

"Scared?"

She blushed and sat up. "Kinda. Sorry, I didn't mean to grab you."

He gave her a reassuring smile. "It's all right." He automatically wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. "I've got you." Emily blushed even more as she snuggled into his embrace. Gosh, he was so warm.

"Thanks," she whispered.

"No problem." He craned his head to look at her. "Sean was right earlier. You look very pretty. What are you supposed to be?"

She shrugged. "Some kind of dark princess." _A princess who's just waiting for her prince._

**A/N: So a few things about this chapter: 1. Sorry if the costumes seem stupid. I couldn't think of anything better. 2. I've never seen Psycho, so I don't know if there is any true frightening scenes. I belive there is, but I'm not fully sure.**

**Thank you so much for all of your feeback and support. I really appreciate it!**

**I also posted a new one-shot for the CCOAC Challenge, so you should really check it out if you haven't. I'm quite fond of it, and I would love some feeback. :) :)**


	23. Fatherly Conversations

BAU High School

Chapter 23: Fatherly Conversations

The day after Halloween, Haley called JJ. She was NOT happy, and she needed her best friend to do some sleuthing.

"Why did he leave the party last night?" Haley asked angrily. This had been bothering her ever since Aaron left the other night. Something wasn't right.

"How am I supposed to know?" JJ asked in an irritated voice. Haley had been bugging her lately with her constant need to micro-manage Aaron.

"You're friends with him, right?"

JJ reached into her refrigerator and pulled out a water bottle. "I don't know if I would say friends. I mean, we've talked with each other, but I don't call him up every day to talk."

"Well, talk to him more."

JJ stopped walking around her kitchen. "What?"

Haley rolled her eyes. "Become his best friend if you have to. Get him to tell you what's going on in his life."

"Haley," JJ said exasperatedly. "Why can't you do all this? He _is _your boyfriend."

"He won't tell me anything. He didn't even tell me why he was really leaving the party early last night!"

"He had to pick up his brother! I thought that was kinda obvious."

"Well, I don't believe him," Haley said matter-of-factly.

JJ closed her eyes. "Maybe that's why he won't tell you anything. You don't trust him."

"_Excuse me?_ I trust him plenty. It's Emily Prentiss I don't trust."

JJ let out a frustrated sigh. "When did this become about Emily Prentiss?"

"It became about her the day they became friends," Haley said tightly. She hated that girl, and she hated how Aaron was all buddy-buddy with her.

"So tell him you don't want to hang out with her."

"It's not that easy. Aaron would rather break up with me than stop hanging out with her. That's why I'm going to start doing your plan."

JJ froze again. "What plan?" she asked worriedly.

Haley rolled her eyes. "You know, we remove the source of his changing."

JJ closed her eyes and rested her head on a nearby wall. Shit. She had forgotten that she told Haley what Spencer had said. She wasn't planning to, but last night things had gotten crazy and she let it slip.

"Okay, so you do that," JJ said heavily. "Leave me out of it."

"No, I need you! I need you to become better friends with Aaron so you can get some information from him."

"Like what?" JJ asked, regretting it a second later. She didn't want to help Haley with her crazy plan.

"I don't know. See just how much he likes Prentiss or if he's planning on dumping me." JJ raised her eyebrows at that. Haley actually sounded insecure at that moment. JJ knew her friend didn't like change, and losing Aaron qualified as a big change.

"You don't seriously think he's cheating on you," JJ said instead.

Haley snorted. "Yeah, like Mr. Gentleman would cheat on someone. No, I don't think he's cheating. I just need to cover all the bases."

JJ knew Aaron would never cheat, though she wished she could say the same about her friend. She knew for a fact that Haley had occasionally hooked up with random guys whenever Aaron wasn't around.

"So you should get right on that," Haley said briskly. "Start today if you can."

JJ gulped. She didn't like the sound of this at all. "I-I don't think I can."

Haley huffed in annoyance. "Alright, fine. Start tomorrow." And then she hung up.

* * *

><p>Monday morning, Aaron was in a good mood when he walked into History. In Chemistry they had done an interesting and fun experiment, and he had been partnered with Emily of course. They had a lot of fun trying to figure it out without killing themselves with dangerous chemicals. Their stomachs hurt from laughing so hard after awhile.<p>

"Hey Hotch," Derek said from his desk. "Thanks again for having us over on Saturday."

Aaron quickly looked around to see if anyone heard, but no one was paying them any attention.

"No problem," he said quietly. "I had fun." Derek smiled and he gestured to the seat next to him. Aaron gulped. What was he going to do? He wanted to sit with Derek, but someone would notice and tell Haley. Aaron wasn't ready to have that conversation with his girlfriend just yet. Luckily, before he could say anything, someone called his name.

"Aaron!" He spun around to see JJ smiling and waving at him from the back. "Come and sit with me!"

Aaron raised his eyebrows and glanced at Derek. He seemed confused too.

"Go ahead," Derek said with a shrug. "Sit with her." Aaron gave him an apologetic look as he walked to the back.

"Hey!" JJ said brightly when he walked up.

"Hi," he said slowly. "What's up?"

"Nothing much. I just realized that we never sit with each other even though we're friends," she said conversationally.

"That's true," he said, sitting down next to her. "We should."

"Exactly." For a second, Aaron could have sworn she sounded relived. "So that's what we're doing." She looked like she was going to say something else, but their teacher started class at that moment.

When the bell rang, she jumped up and said "Let's walk to the library together."

Aaron raised his eyebrows again. "I'd love to, but I actually have to meet Coach Rossi during this period. We have the playoffs coming up, so we need to strategize."

"Right, of course," JJ said quickly. "I understand."

"I'll walk with you, darlin'," Will said from behind them. JJ plastered a fake smile on her face.

"Great. See you later Aaron."

Aaron watched them walk away in a daze. Since when was JJ all buddy-buddy with him? Something was off. He just couldn't place it.

He walked out of the classroom and headed toward the locker rooms. Rossi's office was right next to them. Aaron found him hunched over his desk scribbling on various papers. He knocked on the door to get the coach's attention.

"Aaron. Come on in," Rossi said, shoving the papers to the corner of his desk. Aaron sat down in the chair opposite the desk. They then proceeded to go over new plays and strategies for the next forty-five minutes. Finally they leaned back in their chairs and let out heavy sighs.

"Boy, it sure is hard being a football coach," Rossi joked. He wasn't serious; he loved his job more than anything in the world and he wouldn't trade it for anything.

"I'm sure it isn't," Aaron said with a grin. Rossi chuckled.

"Yeah, you're right." He tilted his head and studied Aaron closely. "How've you been?"

Aaron raised his eyebrows. "What'd you mean?"

Rossi took a deep breath and said, "Haley came and talked to me the other week."

Aaron clenched his fist and resisted the urge to scream. "Yeah? And what did she say?"

"She's worried, Aaron. She thinks something is wrong with you."

"Nothing is wrong with me!" he said forcefully. "She's just mad I'm now friends with Emily Prentiss!" He said the last part without thinking.

Rossi looked surprised. "I thought you didn't like her."

Aaron sighed. "I didn't, but then Haley did something really awful to her, and I realized that she isn't a terrible person. I felt bad for her, and I tried to make amends."

"Looks like you succeeded."

Aaron let out a dry chuckle. "Yeah, I guess I did." He looked at Rossi. "So what did Haley want you to tell me?"

"Excuse me?" Rossi asked in confusion.

"She came to you because she's hoping you'll knock some sense into me," he explained.

Rossi shrugged. "She said a lot of things, but I don't think they're important."

Aaron raised his eyebrows. "Really?"

Rossi clasped his hands together. "Are you happy?"

"What?"

"Are you happy with how you're living your life?" the coach asked seriously.

Aaron thought about it for a brief moment. "Yeah, I am."

Rossi smiled. "Then keep doing what you're doing. Don't listen to Haley. She doesn't control you."

Aaron felt immense relief spread through his body. He really valued Rossi's opinion, and if he told Aaron he was making a mistake, Aaron would feel very upset.

"Can I ask you something?" Rossi asked Aaron, breaking him from his reverie.

"Yeah, of course."

Rossi was silent for a moment, as if he was planning his words out. Finally he said, "Just how much do you like this Emily girl?"

Aaron was taken aback by the question. "She's my friend."

Rossi gave him a doubtful look. "Is that really it? Think about it."

Aaron did as he was told and thought about Emily. Just the thought of her warmed his insides. Her smile never failed to cheer him up. She was so nice and forgiving (when she wanted to be). That past weekend, when he held her when she was scared, he had never felt so comfortable and at ease.

He froze. _What does all this mean? Do I _like_ her like her? _Rossi was watching him carefully.

"Uh.. Yeah, she's just a friend," Aaron lied. He really didn't know how he felt about Emily, but he wasn't going to tell Rossi until he knew for sure.

Rossi gazed at him for a moment longer before nodding slowly. "Alright." He looked at the clock on the wall. "Geez, it's lunchtime for you. You should go." Aaron nodded and stood up, walking slowly to the door. He was still overwhelmed by his possible revelation.

"Aaron," Rossi said before he left. "Just know that if you _do_ like Emily _that way_, it's all right."

Aaron bit his lip. "I just don't know right now," he said truthfully as he left the office. Rossi hoped that for his sake, Aaron would figure it out soon.

* * *

><p>At the end of the day, Derek, Spencer, Emily, and Aaron were preparing to leave Psychology when Gideon asked Spencer to stay back.<p>

"Go ahead," he told his friends. "I'll be out in a second."

"I'll be by my car," Derek said. He was giving Spencer a ride home.

Spencer gave him a grateful smile and walked to the front of the room. Gideon sat behind the desk rifling through some papers.

"You wanted to see me," Spencer prompted.

"Yes, I did." Gideon watched him carefully. "How are you doing?"

Spencer blinked in surprise. "I'm doing well I suppose."

Gideon nodded absent-mindedly. "Good. Is everyone being nice to you?"

This had to be a reference to the bruise on Spencer's face, which had thankfully calmed down a bit. "Yeah, they are."

Gideon raised his eyebrows. "You sure?"

Spencer sighed. "It's just the football team." _And half the school._

"Isn't Aaron Hotchner the captain?"

"Yeah. What's your point?"

"Isn't he your friend?"

Spencer sighed again. "Yeah, he is, and he has defended me. He's actually the one who saved me from a mini-attack the other week."

"They attacked you?" Gideon said in surprise. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"It's nothing," he said quickly. "I'm fine."

"You may be fine now, but that doesn't give them the right to hurt you like that. I'm going to talk to Strauss."

"No, don't! She won't believe you. She always sides with the jocks."

Gideon frowned. "That's awful."

Spencer shrugged. "It doesn't matter really."

Gideon sighed. "Yes, it does. You're a brilliant young man, and you should be treated like one."

Spencer blinked in surprise. It must've shown clearly on his face because Gideon then said "What?"

"No one's ever called me a young man," he said in awe. "I'm always a kid."

"I don't see you as a kid," Gideon said with a shrug. "You're not, and people should respect that."

Spencer smiled. "Thank you." Gideon smiled back.

"Of course." He watched Spencer leave, and then walked out the door to Strauss' office.

"Come in," she said when he knocked.

"Your football team needs to be punished," he said without preamble.

"Excuse me?" she said, obviously startled.

"They attacked a fourteen-year-old boy a few weeks ago."

She raised her eyebrows. "What fourteen-year-old?"

"Spencer Reid."

"Oh, him? In my opinion he brings it on himself."

"Excuse me?" Gideon asked in a horrified voice."

Strauss rolled her eyes. "Yes, he skipped a few grades, so he's a bit smaller than everyone else. But if he wanted to fit in, he would try to participate in a sport like everyone else. Maybe then he wouldn't get beat up."

Gideon's mouth hung open. "Are you serious? You _know_ he's a punching bag and you don't do _anything_?"

She shrugged. "What can I do, expel the whole team?"

"At least suspend the boys involved."

She shook her head. "They have playoffs soon, and they need to win."

He shook his head in disgust. "This is absurd."

"It's my school, and I decide the punishments. Do you have a problem with that?" Strauss asked snidely.

"Yes, I do, but obviously you don't care." With that, he stormed from the office.

**A/N: Stupid Strauss! Please leave a review! I hope you liked this chapter. :)**

**This is the last time I'm going to mention it, but I posted a one-shot for the CCOAC challenge, and I would REALLY appreciate it if you read it/left a review. I don't think it's gotten a lot of readers and that makes me sad. :( Of course, if you don't that's fine, but any feedback would really help me as an author. :)**


	24. The Big Game

**A/N: So this is a REALLLYYY long one. Well, maybe not as long as some authors' stories, but this is my longest chapter so far. I'm really excited for you all to read it, so on with the show! :) **

BAU High School

Chapter 24: The Big Game

To no one's surprise, Thomas Jefferson High School's football team made it into the championships. The big game was scheduled for November thirteenth, which was a Friday. In the weeks leading up to the game, the football team worked harder than they ever had before. They wanted to win more than ever.

Haley became the dutiful girlfriend to the star quarterback. She was big on public displays of affection, and she loved showing off their relationship. Their status as star couple was very important to her. As a result, she kept Aaron from his new friends now more than ever. She would wait for Aaron's practices to end so she could make sure he didn't go off with Emily.

This angered Aaron to no end. He knew exactly what she was doing, and it pissed him off. He wished that Haley could be supportive of him. He really didn't need the added stress.

He kept Rossi's words at the forefront of his mind. It _was_ his life, and he was going to live it his way. As a result of that, he decided not to let Haley get in the way of his friends by calling one of them every night. He could also talk with them during any classes they had with him, though Haley kept him in a death grip during lunch.

Another thing Aaron noticed in the weeks leading up to the game was how suddenly JJ wanted to be his best friend. He liked JJ and had no problem with it, but it was odd how she randomly wanted this to happen. It kind of freaked him out.

The day of the game, Aaron walked into Psychology and headed over to his new desk in the front by his friends. None of his jock friends were in the class, so he was free to sit wherever he wanted.

"Big game is tonight," Gideon remarked as Aaron sat down. "You ready?'

Aaron put on a rather stressed smile. "I certainly hope so." Gideon chuckled.

"Well, good luck. I'm sure you'll do great." Ever since Spencer told Gideon about how Aaron had saved him, the teacher had warmed up to the football player a whole lot.

"Thank you," Aaron said gratefully. He turned to his friends. "I hope you'll come to the game."

Spencer scrunched his face up. "Football isn't really my thing."

"Oh, come on Spencer. Have you even watched a game?"

The boy thought about it. "No, not really."

"Then you should come." Aaron turned to Derek. "Come on, Derek. Don't you like football?"

Derek shrugged. "I guess, but I'm not a fan of this team. No offense."

"None taken." He looked to Emily. "Won't you come?"

Emily really didn't want to. She had no desire to see Haley cheer and act all lovey-dovey with Aaron. It made her sick. Still, he was looking at her with those gorgeous brown eyes. She could feel her resolve breaking. Still, she refused to give up right away.

"Give me one good reason," she said loftily.

He gazed at her for a moment before saying "I could use the moral support."

Emily snorted. "Right, like the whole school won't be chanting your name."

He sighed and sat down next to her. He gazed right into her eyes, and Emily could barely suppress a tiny shiver. "I would love to see you there."

That really wasn't an amazing reason, but those eyes rendered Emily useless. "Fine," she said a tad bit breathlessly. "I'll come."

His face broke into a wide smile. "Great." He turned to the guys. "_Now_ will you come?"

They both sighed. "Fine."

* * *

><p>"So why are we here again?" Penelope asked as the four of them plopped down on the bleachers that night. The game started at seven, and it was six forty-five now. The stands were packed with people wearing their school gear. Some people even had signs and were waving them around.<p>

"We're here to support Aaron," Emily said, wrapping a dark scarf around her a snugly as she could. It was very cold now that it was November, and she was shivering like crazy.

"Okay. I'll cheer him on, but once the game's over, can we go over to your house and watch movie?" Penelope begged. She wasn't a sports fan, and she was freezing too.

"Of course," Emily said offhandedly as she pulled out her phone. She quickly sent Aaron a text, hoping he would get it before the game.

_Good luck! You'll do great, you're an amazing player. May the force be with you!_

Aaron smiled and laughed when he got the text. Emily's words helped put him a bit more at ease. He did well under pressure, yet he was still impossibly anxious. There was a lot riding on this game.

"That from Emily?" a voice said behind him. Aaron almost dropped his phone before he realized it was Rossi. The coach already knew about Emily, so it was okay.

"Yeah. She was just wishing me good luck," Aaron said, smiling as he reread it again.

"Can I see?" Rossi asked, extending his hand.

Shooting him a curious look, Aaron handed it over. Rossi read it and smiled, though he also looked confused at the last part. He looked up.

"I never knew you liked Star Wars."

Aaron let out a nervous chuckle. "Yeah. Emily says its part of my nerdy side."

Rossi raised his eyebrows. "Your nerdy side? I didn't know you had one."

"Neither did I until I became friends with Emily," Aaron admitted. It felt good to talk to someone about it.

Rossi smiled and handed the phone back. "Good for you. I'm glad you're exploring your whole personality."

Aaron furrowed his eyebrows. "What do mean?"

"For the past four years, you've been the same person. You've liked the same things that everyone else does, and you haven't let your true self show. Until now. If you ask me, you becoming friends with Emily was the best thing that's happened to you."

Aaron looked at his coach in surprise. Rossi had never said anything like that. "You don't think that's bad that I'm changing?"

Rossi gave him a gentle smile. "You're not changing; you're becoming the real Aaron Hotchner."

Aaron returned the smile. "Thanks," he said softly.

"Anytime kid. Now let's go win a championship."

* * *

><p>There was one minute left in the game, and Thomas Jefferson was down by one touchdown. They were twenty yards from the end zone. The air was thick with tension as the crowd held their breath. Rossi pulled the team into a huddle.<p>

"Okay," he said, looking at the anxious team. "We can still win this. It's not impossible."

"So what are we going to do?" a junior asked.

Rossi smiled at Aaron. It was all up to him. "This is what we are going to do…"

Emily watched from her high point in the stands. As much as she hated to admit it, she was nervous about the outcome of the game. Throughout the whole game, whenever they scored, she had cheered like crazy. Whenever the other team scored, she booed them. Her friends had joined in on the action too. Penelope couldn't resist cheering, Derek did like the game even if he hated the team, and Spencer had been happy to sprout off random facts. They all were enjoying themselves.

However, if they ended up losing, it would be a major disappointment. They had all gotten their hopes up with every touchdown they scored. Now it came down to the final minute, and everyone was on edge.

The team broke the huddle, strode out to the field, and took their positions. The crowd let out a loud cheer for them, and the marching band began to play the school song.

Aaron looked out to the stands. It all came down to him. The crowd began chanting his name, led by Haley, who was bouncing around in her skimpy cheerleading uniform. If he screwed this up she would be immensely pissed.

Normally he would look to her for support, but now he bypassed her completely, instead looking for someone else. And he found her standing in the top row with their friends.

As if she could tell he was looking directly at her, Emily let out a whoop. She yelled, "You've got this Aaron!" No one heard her over the din of the crowd except for him.

He could do it.

He got into his position and counted down like he was supposed to. After yelling "Hut!" the player in front of him tossed him the ball. Straitening up, he quickly surveyed the field in front of him. It was nothing but a huge mass of red (Thomas Jefferson) and blue (the other team) players. They all ran around, trying to figure out where the ball was going to go.

Aaron spotted Will to his left. He was right in position, just like they planned. Aaron pulled his arm back as if he was going to throw the ball, and Will raised his hands to catch it.

All the blue players saw what he was doing and either ran towards Will or began paying less attention to the guys they were guarding. That left a rather narrow path in the center open for Aaron to take.

He took off at a sprint, clutching the ball for dear life. A few blue players realized what he was doing and tried to grab him, but they were either too slow or were thrown to the ground by red players. The stands erupted with thundering cheers as Aaron weaved his way through the throng of football players.

He was two feet away from the end zone when a stocky blue player came out of nowhere. Number forty-two was his number. He appeared on Aaron's left and made a mad grab at him. Forty-two latched himself onto Aaron's leg.

As soon as he saw the hands reach out, Aaron leapt into the air. Forty-two tried to drag him down before he crossed into the end zone, but it was useless. Aaron tumbled onto the ground with the ball safely in his hands. The whole crowd screamed in celebration as Aaron's team pulled him off the ground. They slapped him on the back over and yelled in his ear.

For the tenth year in a row, Thomas Jefferson High School won the championships.

Emily, Derek, Penelope, and Spencer screamed along with the crowd and began to jump up and down. Penelope threw her arms around Derek and planted a kiss on his cheek; Emily laughed and gave Spencer a high five.

Rossi hurried out onto the field and threw his arms around the huddle of players. He reached out and ruffled Aaron's hair affectionately. Aaron turned and grinned at his coach.

"Great game kid!" Rossi called.

"Great coaching Rossi!" he called back. Rossi smiled.

Haley shoved her way through the mass of red jersey-wearing boys and threw her arms around Aaron's neck. His teammates wisely stepped back. She pulled him down into a very heated kiss. Aaron's teammates whistled and whooped.

Emily saw the kiss from her seat, and her heart broke a little.

_Stop it Emily! _She shouted in her head. _That's his girlfriend, of course she would kiss him. Besides, it's not like you _like_him or anything. _Even though she thought that, she couldn't help but think that wasn't one hundred percent true.

"Let's go tell Aaron good job!" Penelope said eagerly, completely unaware of Emily's confused thoughts. She grabbed the boys by their arms and led the way down the bleachers. Emily followed in a daze.

As soon as they reached the bottom, it became obvious that reaching Aaron would be next to impossible. He was in the very center of the large crowd of people, and the amount of people kept growing. Everyone wanted to congratulate the star player.

"You realize we will _never_ get to him, right?" Derek said stubbornly. "There's too many people."

"He's right," Spencer sighed. Now that they had won, he wanted to get to someplace warm.

"We'll just text him," Emily said regretfully. She really wanted to talk to him. She could picture herself telling him great job. Then he would smile that beautiful smile at her, and her stomach would get all fluttery. And maybe, just maybe, she would give him a hug. She had never hugged Aaron before, and she wondered what it would be like to have his arms around her. Besides Halloween, they really hadn't had any kind of physical contact…

_HOLD IT! _Emily's mind screamed. _WHAT ARE YOU DOING? _She really didn't understand why she wanted to know what it felt like to have his arms around her. Unless…

Derek's voice pulled her from her thoughts. "Em's right. Let's just go." The four of them began to slowly make their way out to the parking lot.

Aaron managed to break away from Haley, though she kept trying pull him back in. He quickly scanned the huge mass of people surrounding him. To his disappointment, he couldn't see his friends.

_Maybe they're near the back,_ he thought. Then he saw them in the parking lot. Derek had his arm around Penelope and Spencer was waving his hands around. Emily threw her head back, and Aaron knew she was laughing. God, did he like the sound of her laugh.

He sighed to himself. The crowd was too big for them to come over. At least, that was what he was telling himself. He didn't want to think that they were just leaving without even trying to say goodbye.

"Party at my house!" Will yelled next to him, and Aaron felt several hands grab him and shove him toward the parking lot. Haley wrapped herself around his arm and kissed him on the cheek every few steps.

"Nice game Aaron!"

"Good job Hotchner!"

"Go Aaron!"

Everyone was yelling things like that over and over. While he was happy that people were pleased with how the night turned out, he could do without the people cheering his name.

People tried dragging him to Will's house right then, but he managed to get away by saying he had to stop by the locker room to change. The rest of the team followed him and took super quick showers. Aaron did as well, and once he was dressed again in jeans and a fleece sweatshirt, he realized he had an unread text message.

_You were amazing! Great job! Sorry we didn't say bye, the fan club was too big. We're headed to my house for movies. Have a good night!_

It was from Emily, of course. Aaron couldn't help but feel relived once he realized they hadn't just blown him off, though he did feel a bit envious. They were headed to her house for a quiet night of movies while he was stuck at a loud and crazy party. He knew they would've invited him if there wasn't going to be a huge party. They just assumed he was going to that.

He had barely been at the party for twenty minutes before he wanted to leave. Senior after senior after senior kept coming up to him and patting him on the back. People were making toasts to him left and right (and they were getting drunk in the process). Haley pulled him into make out session after make out session. It got annoying after the first ten.

"Cheer up," Will said, slurring his words slightly. He never failed to have some sort of alcohol at his parties. "This night is all for you."

Aaron smiled half-heartedly. That was great and everything, but he wasn't the only one to win the game. It was a team effort.'

After Haley kissed him for what felt like the millionth time, Aaron knew he had to get out of there. He slipped away under the pretense of going to the bathroom and texted Emily.

_Can I join you for movie night?_

Her reply came back almost instantly. _Of course you can. _

Aaron smiled and quickly slipped out the back door. Little did he know, JJ saw him leave and hurried after him.

"Hey!" she called when he was halfway down the driveway. "Where are you going?"

He practically jumped ten feet in the air. He spun around to face her. "I just have to leave." His breath was visible in the cold mid-November air.

"You're going to _her_, aren't you?" JJ's voice was slightly accusing.

Aaron bit his lip. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Emily Prentiss," JJ spat. "You're going to her house."

He took a deep breath, and then looked like he was struck with an idea. "Come with me."

"What?" she asked in disbelief. Did he really just ask her that?

"Come to Emily's house with me," he said desperately. "You'd like it there."

"Right," she snorted. "I would totally like to spend my Friday night with a bunch of losers."

"You'd have fun there. They let you be who _you_ want to be, not what someone like Haley wants."

"Someone like Haley? What are you…" her voice trailed off as she caught on to part of his statement. "They?"

"Huh?"

"Who else is there?"

Aaron gulped slightly, and then stood up straight. "Derek Morgan, Penelope Garcia, and Spencer Reid."

JJ's stomach gave a little twitch at the mention of Spencer, but she pushed it away. "You're friends with _all_ of them?" she asked in horror.

"Yes," he said defiantly. "And I'm proud of it. I like spending time with them. I can be myself around them."

JJ shook her head in disbelief. "Aaron, what has happened to you?"

"Nothing! Everyone thinks something has happened because I'm acting differently."

"It's weird!" JJ yelled. "All of a sudden you're a different guy, and it's gotten everyone worried."

Aaron let out a humorless laugh. "They're not worried. They're upset that I'm realizing they're all jerks."

JJ recoiled. She was included in that group. So was Will and Haley.

Aaron sighed. "I'm going to go. If you don't want to come, that's fine. Just, please don't tell Haley where I'm going. Just tell her I'm sick or something."

For a second, it looked like JJ wanted to come with him, but a moment later it was gone. She sucked her lips in and nodded once. She would cover for him.

"Thank you," he whispered, and then he was gone.

* * *

><p>Emily was surprised when she got a text from Aaron saying he was coming. She knew there was a huge party going on and he was the guest of honor. Still, she was happy that he was joining them.<p>

Fifteen minutes after he texted her, there was a knock on the door. Derek paused the movie while Penelope jumped up and answered the door. The grunt from Aaron proved that she had pulled him into a bone-crushing hug.

"Great game!" she said enthusiastically, dragging him into the living room. The remaining three people began to clap.

"Please, you don't have to. I would prefer it if you didn't, actually," Aaron said, sitting down on the floor next to a bowl of popcorn. "I got enough of that at the party."

"Yeah, why did you leave?" Emily asked curiously. "I mean, not that I'm not happy to see you, but I thought you would've stayed."

Aaron shrugged while he grabbed a handful of popcorn. "I just wasn't enjoying myself. It wasn't where I wanted to be." He raised his eyes to meet Emily's and she felt her heart beat a bit faster.

"Well, I'm glad you're here," Derek said with a grin.

"Me too," Spencer said eagerly from the arm chair he was curled up in. Aaron smiled at them both.

"I'm glad I came too."

Derek played the movie and they all turned their attention to it except for Emily. She couldn't tear her eyes away from Aaron. The blue glow of the television screen made him look even more handsome.

There was one thought that wouldn't leave her mind: He had left a party with his best friend and his girlfriend to come and spend the night with them. It showed how far they had come since the start of school.

She reluctantly tried to focus on the movie. It was some random romantic comedy that Penelope forced them to watch. As the movie progressed, Emily found herself comparing her life to the main character's. A new girl at a new school who is targeted by the popular girls. The character ended up falling for the star football player, who also happened to be the head cheerleader's boyfriend.

_Head cheerleader's boyfriend…._ Emily's gaze once again fell to Aaron. Her heart started to beat madly when she finally put it all together.

She loved him.

Okay, maybe not seriously _love _considering how young she was. But there was no denying it: Emily had a major crush on Aaron Hotchner.

She pressed her hand to her mouth to smother the gasp about to escape from it. How long had this been going on for? When did she develop these feelings?

She snuck another glance at Aaron. He looked relaxed just sitting there watching the movie. A relaxed Aaron Hotchner equaled a cute Aaron Hotchner.

_What do I do? _She thought. She couldn't just tell him how she felt. He was with Haley, and even if he wasn't, the chances of a guy like him liking a girl like her were very slim. He only saw her as a friend.

Tears sprung into her eyes at the end of the movie when the girl won her guy. That was where the movie differed from real life: Emily wasn't going to get her guy.

It was just that simple.

**A/N 2: Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to everyone who had read/reviewed/favorited/alerted this story. You guys are amazing. I hope you liked the chapter. Please leave a review! :)**


	25. Denying and Realizing Feelings

**A/N: Here we go, chapter 25! I hope no one hates me for this chapter :) That's all I'm gonna say!**

BAU High School

Chapter 25: Denying and Realizing Feelings

_He's cute…. Only I don't really like blonde hair…. _

_Oh, now that guy is _really _cute… Wait, I don't like blue eyes._

_Okay, this guy is perfect. Dark hair, brown eyes…. WAIT HE DOESN'T HAVE DIMPLES!_

Emily let her head fall to the table. It was useless. Since when did she care about dimples? She didn't at the beginning of the year, but then she met Aaron.

_UGH! _Emily had been desperately trying to find another guy to date ever since her startling realization the night of the championship game. She knew that Aaron wasn't a possible option, so she tried to think of someone else. It was that or suffer a whole lot of heartbreak.

But it was just no use. Aaron Hotchner had stolen her heart, and he refused to give it back. In the weeks that followed the game, she had found herself staring at him more than usual. She would get more nervous and excited whenever he was around. Whenever he complained about Haley, her heart would soar. It would come crashing down when she saw them kissing in the hallway.

It was now the beginning of December, and Emily wondered what would happen when Christmas rolled around. Should she get him a present? If so, what should she get him? She didn't want to get him something that screamed "friend" but she couldn't get him something that said "I think I may be in love with you." She was screwed.

Then there was the possibility of him getting _her_ something. What would he buy her? Would it be something boring like a book, or something beautiful like a necklace? Emily often found herself dreaming of a scenario where he would present her with a beautiful diamond necklace.

"Oh Aaron," she would gasp. "It's beautiful."

"Just like you," he would say with a dimpled smile. He would lean in close as if to kiss her, and then her alarm clock would go off.

Emily moaned. Yep, she was screwed. Her nights were now filled with dreams involving Aaron. Whenever he would try to kiss her though, she would wake up. She assumed it was the universe's way of telling her it was never going to happen.

Lately, these dreams have had a common theme: the upcoming Winter Formal. It was at the end of December: The day before Christmas break. Emily dreamed that he would ask her to dance. He would hold her close and whisper in her ear, telling her how beautiful she was and how much he loved her.

Emily wished more than anything that that could be true. That Aaron could love her back, but she knew it was no use. There were indeed moments where it seemed true. Occasionally he would get angry with Haley and he would tell Emily that she was so much better than his girlfriend. Or Emily would catch him looking at her during their study periods.

But alas, it was not to be. Haley kept him in a death grip after the game, and it seemed like part of Aaron had begun to love Haley again. Granted, she still frustrated him with her micro-managing, but he had gotten better at shutting her down.

So that was where Emily was now: Crushing on Aaron Hotchner with no hopes of stopping. She both dreaded and eagerly anticipated their work periods. Dreaded because every time she saw him she was reminded of what she couldn't have. Anticipated because, well, she could see him.

She was waiting for him now. She had her head on the table, so she didn't see the object of her fantasies walk up.

"Tired?" he asked with a grin as he set his bag down. Emily whipped her head up in surprise.

"God, Aaron, you scared me," she gasped, trying to catch her breath.

"Sorry," he smirked. Aaron then became serious as he studied her face. "Something on your mind?"

"No," she said quickly. "Nothing at all." _Just, you know, trying to find someone that can help me get you off my mind._

"Okay," he said slowly, still watching her. "You can come to me if you ever need to, you know that right?"

_Please stop being so sweet, _she pleaded in her head. Instead she said "Yeah, I know." He flashed her a dimple and pulled out his notebook. Gideon was slamming them with work as they approached midterms, though they didn't need to spend every working period doing Psychology. They sat with each other even if they didn't have to.

Every now and then, Aaron would look up at Emily. She still looked distracted, though he also saw something else on her face. Was that the expression of someone with a broken heart?

It made _his _heart break to see her so upset. He wanted her to be happy and full of life. She always looked adorable when she was happy.

Aaron racked his brains as he tried to think of something that could have broken her heart. She hadn't been dating anyone, and she hadn't said she had a crush on anyone. Of course, she probably would be more likely to tell Penelope about a crush than him, but there had been times when she told him she thought someone was good-looking.

Anyway, that wasn't the point. He thought long and hard about what could have upset her only to come up empty.

For some odd reason, a movie popped into his head. To be more specific, it was that romantic comedy they had watched the night of the championship game. He had come in around the middle, but he managed to get the gist of it.

As the movie had progressed, Aaron had noticed some similarities between him and the main guy character. They were both popular football players who dated the most popular girl in school. Granted, the guy in the movie fell in love with the new girl….

Aaron studied Emily carefully. She was a lot like the new girl in the movie. They fought with the mean girl and became friends with the underdogs.

_Huh, _he thought. _If' she's the new girl and I'm the jock, than that means…._

He dropped his pencil. How could he have been so blind?

Rossi had even noticed something before he had!

He loved her.

Okay, maybe it was more like a crush, but it was still pretty big.

_Oh boy, _he thought. _Oh no. What do I do?_

He snuck a glance at Emily. She looked so cute tapping her pencil against her teeth. After a moment she would bring the pencil down to her paper and write something. He watched as she bit on her lip whenever she was thinking hard.

Oh, those lips. He just wanted to kiss them over and over.

Yep, he had it bad.

Aaron forced himself to look back at his paper. When did this happen? At the beginning of the year he couldn't stand her! Now he wanted to kiss her more than he did Haley.

Haley! What was he supposed to do about her?

It was quite obvious that he didn't love her as much as he had before. Even though she told him she would change, it was clear that she didn't mean it. He realized that when he caught her harassing a sophomore.

The only obvious answer was to break up with her. He had been contemplating it for weeks, but now it seemed more inevitable. If he wanted to be with Emily, than that was what needed to happen.

Aaron smiled to himself. He was going to ask Emily to the Winter Formal. It would be perfect. They would dance and talk and maybe kiss. He leaned back in his chair. Oh yeah, they would definitely kiss.

"What?" Emily said, interrupting his thoughts. She looked confused.

"I'm sorry?" he asked, blinking back to attention. Had he even said anything?

"You were staring at me," she said shyly. A faint blush appeared on her face. He loved making her blush.

"I was?" he asked dumbly. He could feel _himself_ blushing. So much for keeping it under the radar.

"Yeah," she giggled.

"Sorry." He looked at his paper in humiliation.

She decided to be brave at that moment. "Don't be." He looked up to see her smiling at him.

"Then I guess I'm not sorry." He flashed her a dimple and returned to his work. After a few minutes, his phone buzzed.

"Huh," he muttered. "That's odd."

"What is?"

Aaron looked at her. "JJ texted me. She wants me to meet her outside the library."

Emily's heart sank. She knew there was no way JJ would be interested in Aaron the way she was, but it was a painful reminder that there _was_ someone else interested in him, and she already had him.

She tried to push her feelings away, to shove them in little boxes. She had been doing it for years. "Go ahead."

Aaron looked surprised. "What?"

"Go. Meet with JJ." Emily struggled to keep her voice steady.

He bit his lip. "Sorry."

"Don't be." She tried to give him a reassuring smile only to fail miserably.

He felt awful for leaving her, but he wasn't sure why she was so upset about it. He talked with JJ a lot and Emily didn't really have a problem with it.

_Whatever, _he thought to himself. _I'm going to take her to the dance and hopefully cheer her up. _However, as much as he wanted to do it right then and there, he couldn't. He was still dating Haley, and if there was one thing Aaron was not it was a cheater.

Plus, he wanted the setting to be more special. The library wasn't the perfect place to declare your newfound feelings.

If he couldn't make her feel one hundred percent better, he could at least make her a little bit better. He reached across the table and squeezed her hand gently.

"I'll see you in Psychology." She gave him a tiny smile.

He left the library in search of JJ. She wasn't directly outside in the hallway. Frowning, he pulled out his phone again and double checked the message. Yep, it said outside of the library.

"JJ?" he called awkwardly in the empty corridor. His phone buzzed again.

_In the classroom down the hall. First on your right._

Aaron quickly found the classroom and slipped inside. It was an empty English Literature classroom.

"JJ?" he asked again.

"Guess again," a familiar voice teased.

_Crap. _"Haley?"

His girlfriend ran out of nowhere straight into his arms. Her lips quickly found his, and she pulled him closer to her so she could have better access.

Aaron pulled away just as quickly. "Where's JJ?"

Haley rolled her eyes, obviously upset about the lack of kissing. "She's not coming. I took her phone and texted you to get you to come and meet me."

"Why didn't you just use your phone?" he asked, trying to take a few steps back.

She finally stepped away and perched on top of a desk. She put on her best pouty face. "I thought you were avoiding me and wouldn't come if I was the one to text you."

Aaron groaned inwardly. Even though he didn't love her as much anymore, he hated making her upset. Part of him always would.

He stepped forward and took one of her hands. "I'm not avoiding you baby. I'm sorry you think so."

"It's okay," she sniffled. Then she brightened. "I know why you've been acting so distant though."

His stomach lurched, and then calmed down. She seemed happy, so it was obviously not about Emily. "Why have I been distant?"

Haley gave him a wide smile. "You've been planning the perfect way to ask me to Winter Formal!"

_I've been what?_ He thought. He wasn't even planning on asking her!

"Uh, Haley…."

"Aaron please," she said, leaping off the desk. "Sweetie, you don't have to come up with some crazy scheme to ask me. It's nice that you tried, but I need to start planning our outfits and such, so I need you to ask me now."

"Now?" he said hoarsely.

"Yep!" She tilted her head for a moment. "Maybe you should get on one knee like you were proposing."

"Uh…" He quickly tried to think of a way out of this. He could fake getting a text from Will, but that would only postpone Haley demanding that he ask her.

"Aaron! Hurry up and ask me! I'm the only girl in the school without a date!"

He saw a way out and took it. "That's not true. There are plenty of girls who are dateless."

"_Emily Prentiss _even has a date," she spat.

Aaron's heart stopped. _I just misheard her, _he thought desperately.

"No she doesn't," he said quickly, praying it wasn't true.

Haley shrugged. "Jordan told me Spencer Reid asked her, which is stupid in my opinion. He's fourteen! Why would he even _want_ to go to a dance like this? He'll probably end up with someone's drink on his outfit."

Normally he would have told her to cool it, but as far as Aaron was concerned, his life was over. Okay, maybe that was a tad bit dramatic, but he did feel as though his heart had been ripped out.

In his excitement to ask her out, he had forgotten the possibility of her not wanting to go with him or the possibility of her already having a date.

_And why wouldn't she have a date? She's beautiful, smart, nice, funny…._

Aaron was now thoroughly depressed.

He wanted to hate the person who asked Emily, but it was Spencer, and try as he might, Aaron couldn't hate Spencer. He was like a little brother, and in all honesty Aaron was happy Spencer had a date. He just wished it wasn't Emily.

Haley was getting impatient. "Aaron! Ask me already!"

He moved slowly, like a robot. His mind was on his lost opportunity. He knelt to the ground and picked up one of his girlfriend's hands.

"Haley, will you do me the honors of going to the Winter Formal with me?" His voice was emotionless, but Haley didn't notice.

"Oh Aaron, of course I will!" She pulled him up from the floor and kissed him passionately. He returned it half-heartedly. He was still thinking about the wonderful brunette he was crushing on.

**A/N 2: So do you hate me? Please just bare with me, things get a WHOLE lot better soon. :) Please leave a review! They make my day! :)**


	26. Preparations

**A/N: Okay, I'm happy to see that no one is too mad at me for last chapter. Don't worry, your patience will be rewarded soon! I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. It was going fine, but then I'm worried the ending wasn't good. Either way, please read on and decide for yourselves! **

BAU High School

Chapter 26: Preparations

"Okay," Penelope said one day at lunch. "Em, we_ need_ to go dress shopping this weekend. The dance is in one week, and if we wait any longer all the good dresses will be gone. We've waited too long already."

Emily played with her fork while she thought of a way to let her friend down without hurting her feelings. "Pen, please don't be upset, but I don't think I'm going."

"WHAT?" Penelope cried in horror. Spencer and Derek jumped a foot in the air. "You can't be serious!"

Emily shrugged. "Sorry."

"Emily! You can't do this to me! Who else am I going to get ready with? Who else is going to tell me if my dress is cute or not?"

"I will," Derek joked. Penelope smacked him on the arm.

"I'm serious." She turned her gaze back to Emily. "Is it because you don't have a date? Because I don't, and believe me, it's more fun with your friends."

That was actually exactly why Emily didn't want to go. Within hours, the whole school had found out that Aaron Hotchner was taking Haley Brooks to the Winter Formal. And while that didn't really surprise anyone, apparently he had asked her in a really special way. Emily had actually cried a bit when she heard this. She stopped right away, but a few tears had escaped her eyes.

She didn't want to go to the dance and see Haley all over Aaron like she knew she would be. It was bad enough in school, but now Haley would really be taking over Emily's dreams. It made her both sick and heartbroken.

"I just don't want to go," Emily said lamely.

"Please be honest with me: Is it because of a boy?"

"No," Emily said firmly.

"You're lying," Derek said accusingly.

"What? No!"

"He's right," Spencer nodded. "You show all the signs of a liar that Gideon told us about."

"Em, tell us the truth! We can help you if your heat is broken," Penelope pleaded.

Sighing, Emily gave a little nod.

"Oh, my poor gumdrop!" Penelope pulled Emily into a hug. Pulling away, she said "If he doesn't notice you than he's the biggest idiot in the world."

"She's right," Derek said. "Do I have to beat this guy up for you?"

Emily let out a shaky laugh. "No, you don't. I'm fine, honestly."

"But don't you see?" Penelope asked eagerly. "This is the reason why you should go!"

"I don't follow."

"We are going to find you the most kick-ass dress to wear to the dance. When you're lover boy, whoever he is, sees you, he's going to wish he was the one holding you during slow dances."

"I don't know…" she hedged.

"Please?" Penelope gave her a set of puppy dog eyes.

She bit her lip. "Alright, fine!" Emily said in resignation.

And so that weekend, the two girls went dress shopping together. Penelope dragged Emily from store to store all day Saturday. She also picked out dresses for Emily to try on.

"Come on Emily! There has to be _something_ you find cute!" Penelope said in the sixth store they went to. As much as Emily wanted to make Aaron jealous, she just couldn't get herself into a dress shopping mood.

"This stuff isn't really my style," she said instead.

"You've said that about the last six stores."

"Well, none of them were." Penelope opened her mouth to say something more and Emily said something to distract her. "Why are you so excited about this dance? I mean, you didn't go to homecoming."

"Well," Penelope said. "If you remember, that was the night we all got together to support you after Mr. Was-A-Jerk-Now-Our-Best-Friend hurt you. Plus, they have Homecoming King and Queen, and I hate watching Haley pretend to be surprised about winning."

Emily's gut had twisted at the mention of Aaron. Her mind was stuck on what Penelope had said. "You really consider Aaron to be one of our best friends?"

Penelope looked surprised that that was what Emily picked up. "Well, yeah, I guess I do. I think it was the night of the championship game that made me realize it. I mean, he left a party throw by his _friends and girlfriend_ to come and hang with us. It must mean something."

"Yeah. That night made me realize something too," Emily said to herself. Penelope didn't hear her. She was too focused on a bright pink dress.

"This one is definitely mine!" she said eagerly. She spun around and showed Emily, who grinned widely.

"Yep, it definitely screams Penelope Garcia."

Penelope tried it on, and to her immense pleasure, it fit. The skirt went right to her knees and the sleeves were thick straps. Little rhinestones ran across the neckline which dipped down in a way that showed off some cleavage without making her look slutty. It was perfect.

"Okay, now you," Penelope said, clearly happy that she found her perfect dress.

"Pen, we don't have to…"

"Stop right now. We are _finding _you a dress."

Two stores later, Emily wanted to give up.

"There's nothing in this entire mall for me," she sighed.

"There_ has _to be. We need to find you something that will make your man jealous." Penelope shot Emily a sly look. "If you don't mind me asking, who is your mystery man?"

Emily let out a dry chuckle. "I'm surprised it took you this long."

"Well, I wasn't going to ask you in front of the guys. I didn't think you would appreciate that."

"You're right, and I thank you for that." She continued to search through the rows of dresses in the hopes of getting her friend to drop it. No such luck.

"Emily. Please tell me." Then she sighed. "No, I take it back. You don't have to if you don't want to."

Now Emily sighed. How could she say no? "You'll either laugh or say I'm crazy. Or both."

Penelope held her right hand up. "I solemnly swear not to laugh or say you're crazy."

Emily chuckled, and then immediately sobered. With a sigh, she said "Aaron."

Penelope's eyes went wide. "Aaron Hotchner?"

"Do we know another?" Emily asked sadly.

"Oh, my poor gumdrop." Penelope hurried forward and gave Emily a hug. "How long?"

"I guessing for a long time, but I only realized it the night of the championship game. That movie we watched made me realize that I have it bad for him."

"How bad?" Penelope asked worriedly.

Emily bit her lip and gave Penelope a very depressed look. "I actually cried when I heard he asked Haley to the dance." They both knew Emily _never_ cried over guys.

"Awww, I'm so sorry Em." She pulled Emily into another hug.

"I've been trying to find another guy to crush on, but it's no use. You can't help who you fall in love with."

"That's true," Penelope agreed. "You know, you can always use my chocolate god to make Aaron jealous."

Emily laughed shakily. "I don't think that would work."

"Oh come on, of course it would. Aaron probably already sees Derek as competition."

"What competition? He doesn't like me that way and you know it," Emily muttered as she ran her hands over a pale yellow dress. _Eh, too springy._

"No, I don't know it." At Emily's shocked look, Penelope said "To be honest, I was waiting for him to ask _you_ to the dance."

"Me? Yeah right. He has his _girlfriend _and apparently he asked her in a _special _way," Emily said heatedly.

"He may have a girlfriend, but I've seen the way he looks at you," Penelope said quickly though she was doing it before she lost her nerve. "There's something there."

Emily tried to push the tiny hopeful feeling that just spread through her body. "There's nothing there. He's with Haley."

"Is that your only defense? Do you think that's the only reason he's not with you?" Penelope wanted to think that was the only reason Aaron wasn't dating Emily, but it was clear Emily didn't think so.

Emily sighed. "I'm not his type."

Penelope groaned a bit. "Of course you are! You two are perfect for each other!"

"If we were perfect together, we would be dating," Emily said sternly. She made it clear that she was done with the conversation.

Penelope felt a little hurt, but she pushed it aside. "Okay." After another moment of silence she said "You still need a dress though."

Emily rolled her eyes but continued to look. She wandered through the whole dress department and was about to give up when she saw it. "Penelope, look at this."

She quickly hurried over to Emily and examined the dress. "That's cute. Go try it on!"

Emily complied and entered the dressing room. She tugged off her jeans and red sweater and slipped the blue material over her head.

"Pen? I need your help with the zipper." She stepped out of the stall and allowed her friend to zip it up. Then she heard Penelope gasp.

"Oh Em. You look beautiful." Emily turned and looked in the three-way mirror against the wall. Her mouth fell open.

"Aaron won't be able to keep his eyes off of you!" Penelope squealed. Emily actually thought that might be true.

* * *

><p>"No. No. No. NO!" Haley yelled in frustration. "Ugh! All these dresses suck!"<p>

JJ refrained from rolling her eyes. "What's wrong with them?"

"They're not sexy enough," Haley muttered. The two of them were dress shopping the Sunday before the dance. They had gone shopping every weekend since Aaron asked Haley only to strike out almost every time. There had been a few maybes, but those were a last resort.

"Why do you need to look sexy? Aaron already loves you and thinks you're sexy." JJ couldn't help but think that was slowly becoming a lie. Ever since JJ caught Aaron leaving the party after the big game, she suspected something else was happening with the football player. She had noticed a definite increase of odd behavior at the beginning of the month. Aaron didn't always seem happy around Haley and his friends, and JJ could have sworn he looked as though someone killed his puppy.

His eyes sometimes held a lost look and she often caught him staring at Emily Prentiss. That was how she began to wonder if he was crushing on Emily. JJ really wanted to know, but she didn't ask him. She had decided long ago to stop pestering him about certain things. If Haley wanted information, she had to ask Aaron himself.

Almost as if Haley could read JJ's mind, she said "I'm worried he has wandering eyes."

"What makes you say that?" JJ asked carefully.

"He doesn't seem very happy anymore," she replied with a shrug. "Whatever. I just have to remind him that I'm obviously the one for him."

"You totally are," JJ said half-heartedly. "No girl could ever compete with you."

"Aw, thanks JJ!" Haley grinned brightly and continued her search. After a moment she added "You too," as an afterthought.

"I don't know," JJ said softly. "Sometimes I wonder if Will is the right guy for me." She loved Will, she did. It was just that he didn't trust her that much. He was worried that she would go off and hurt herself. While that overprotective side meant he cared, it also made her feel like he didn't think she could take care of herself. She didn't need him to be there for every little thing.

And then there was always the possibility of infidelity. She had never called him out on it, but JJ sometimes suspected that Will was cheating on her. It was almost like the way Haley occasionally cheated on Aaron.

_Huh, _JJ thought sardonically. _They'd be perfect for each other. _

"What are you saying JJ?" Haley asked in horror. "Of course he's the one for you!"

"I don't know Haley. We're only in high school. A lot can change in a few years. Who knows where we'll be?"

"I know where I'll be. I'll be married to Aaron with several kids."

JJ tilted her head. "Is that it?"

"What do you mean?" Haley asked distractedly as she looked at a tight red dress.

"You don't want anything else, like something exciting?" JJ prodded.

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Maybe you want to go travel the world after college." JJ wasn't sure why that popped into her head at first, but Haley told her a second later.

"God, you sound like Aaron. He's been talking about weird things like that lately. He even mentioned getting a job in SWAT, which seems really random to me."

_Aaron. _That was it! They had been talking a few weeks ago and he mentioned wanting an adventurous life. He'd also told her who planted that idea in his head.

"Emily wants to do something meaningful with her life. Something that saves a lot of lives."

JJ frowned. She had just been considering something like that, hadn't she?

_Huh. I guess I'm more like Emily Prentiss than I thought. _She shuddered.

Haley was still talking. "Anyway, I need to find something totally kick-ass."

"What about that one?" JJ asked tiredly, gesturing to the red one. She already had a dress, so it was all for Haley now.

Haley considered it for a moment. "You're right. It's gorgeous, and Aaron loves red."

She eagerly brought it to the register and paid for it, chatting animatedly with JJ the whole time. JJ tried to pay attention with little success. Her mind was elsewhere. She kept thinking about her future and things like that. Where would she be in five years? Who would she be friends with? Would she even be best friends with Haley? Would she still be with Will? All these questions bounced around in her head with one standing out.

Would she be doing anything meaningful?

**A/N 2: I just want to say something while I have everyone's attention: I don't hate Haley and Will on the actual show. I wanted to say this because I actually feel kinda bad for making them not the best people (Especially since I watched 100 lately and Will might be in the hostage situation in the finale). Sorry, just had to get that out there!**

**Please review! :)**


	27. The Winter Formal

**Here it is: The Winter Formal! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it. :) This is for all of you readers. :)**

BAU High School

Chapter 27: The Winter Formal

The day of the Winter Formal finally arrived. Nobody could focus that day because they were all excited for the dance, and teachers had difficulties keeping some people on track. The gym was being transformed into a semi-beautiful "winter wonderland."

Penelope was especially excited. She couldn't stop talking about it to the amusement of her friends.

"Okay, Emily, you're coming over early to get ready right? Derek, you better save me a dance! You too Spence! I need to dance with you too!"

She just kept going on and on. Emily wished she could get excited to, but she just couldn't. Things with Aaron had been tense for a few weeks. There was no playful banter between the two of them. It was almost like it had been at the beginning of the year. It broke her heart.

That was another reason as to why she wasn't planning on telling him the truth about her feelings: She didn't want to ruin what they already had. Sadly, it seemed like it was already ruined without her saying anything.

Aaron had begun to pull away because he couldn't stand being around her knowing he missed his chance. He just couldn't continue to be all excited and happy for her. This also led to him being distant with the rest of the group, especially Spencer.

_Don't be mad at him, _his conscience told him. _He's just noticed the same thing you noticed too late._

It was decided that Aaron and Will would pick Haley and JJ up at Haley's house at six forty-five. The dance started at seven and Haley wanted to be the first thing people saw when they walked into the room.

"They need to see how fabulous I look," she had said when Aaron asked her why she wanted to be on time.

He and Will were taking separate cars, and they pulled up at the same time.

"You clean up good LaMontagne," Aaron called as he walked up to his friend.

"You too Hotchner." And he did. Aaron looked unbelievably handsome in his black tux.

JJ came down the stairs first wearing a pale blue silk dress that ended directly above her knees. It was strapless and the whole dress clung to her body. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a loose braid.

"You look beautiful darlin'," Will said, giving JJ a kiss.

"Thanks," she said sheepishly. "You look very handsome yourself."

The two continued to talk, but Aaron's attention was brought to the top of the winding staircase. Haley stood there in a tight, short red dress. She wore black strappy high heels, and her hair was piled on top of her head.

Aaron waited for his breath to be taken away like it used to be, only it never happened. Sure, Haley looked beautiful, but she was dressed like every other high school girl. At least JJ's outfit was a little different.

Haley gave him a seductive smile when she finally made it down the stairs. He was impressed that she managed to do so without killing herself with those heels. "What'd you think?" she asked.

"You look beautiful," he managed to say. He leaned down to give her a light kiss, which she eagerly returned.

"Shall we go?" Will asked in an amused voice. They all nodded and left the house. Haley's father gave Aaron a look that said "Don't try anything." Aaron only nodded.

By the time they got to the school, there were already tons of people there. The dance floor was packed with moving bodies as they gyrated to the beat of the pop music the DJ was playing. Blue and white streamers hung from the ceiling along with a disco ball. Tables were set up around the dance floor. Each table had a small lamp in the center, giving off a warm feeling around the gym. A snack table was set up to the left of the dance floor.

"Let's dance," Haley said as soon as they walked in. She dragged Aaron through the throng of people right to the very center. Dancers moved out of the way as soon as she stepped onto the floor. People were admiring the two of them left and right.

"God, Aaron Hotchner looks so hot tonight."

"Haley's dress is to die for!"

"She's so pretty!"

"They're so cute together!"

Haley could hear every comment, and each one further inflated her ego. She pulled Aaron close and pressed her body against his. She grabbed his hand and placed them on her waist in an attempt to get him to actually dance with her.

But he wasn't paying any attention. He was desperately searching the crowd for a certain brunette. He couldn't find her.

_What if she's not coming? Maybe she and Spencer decided to go somewhere else for a date. _His stomach dropped at the thought of them on a date.

A few songs later his questions were finally answered. He turned his head toward the door just in time to see the four friends walk in. Derek and Spencer looked handsome in their tuxes, though Spencer did look a tad bit out of place. Penelope was wearing a bright pink dress that looked great on her. After a minute though, he hardly paid any attention to his other friends. He had eyes only for Emily.

She was wearing a dark blue dress that fell just above her knees. The skirt flared out slightly instead of clinging to her body. He could tell the skirt had several layers. The straps were thick, and the whole dress shimmered in the dark gymnasium. Her hair was down and curly, and he could tell she wasn't wearing a whole lot of makeup, which he always preferred. On her feet were silver high heels.

Now Aaron realized his breath had been taken away. She looked absolutely gorgeous.

He realized he had been staring too long when Haley grabbed his arm and swung him around. Thankfully though, she hadn't noticed Emily. She just forced Aaron to start swaying to the music again.

When she wasn't paying attention, Aaron craned his neck to gaze at Emily again. She was dancing with Spencer, Derek, and Penelope. They looked like they were having the time of their lives. Penelope was trying to get Spencer to do more than bob up and down awkwardly while Emily and Derek danced close together. Aaron could feel jealousy spring up in his chest.

Penelope smacked Emily on the arm when they were on the edge of the dance floor.

"Ow! What was that for?" Emily hissed, rubbing her bare arm.

"Hotch was staring at you when you walked in!" Penelope said excitedly. She kept her voice down so the boys wouldn't hear.

"Are you serious?" Emily asked hopefully.

"Would I lie about something like that? He's totally going to ask you to dance later!"

Emily shook her head. "I wouldn't go _that _far. He still has Haley with him."

Penelope shook her head back. "Don't underestimate him. He will find a way to dance with you if he wants to, which he does."

Emily didn't say anything else, but she couldn't help but feel a bit hopeful at the possibility.

"I'll be right back," Aaron told Haley. He had only taken a few steps away when he felt her grab his arm.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked angrily.

"I just want to go say hi to my friends." He tried to gently remove his arm from her grasp.

"You're friends are over here," Haley hissed, gesturing to the large group of gyrating bodies around them.

"Not all of them," he said defiantly.

"Yes all of them!" she yelled hysterically. "Those people you consider to be your friends are not your friends. They're losers who don't deserve to hang out with you!"

Aaron physically recoiled in horror. "I thought we talked about this."

Haley waved her hand dismissively. "That was when I thought you would get tired of those freaks. And even if you aren't now, you will be soon. I know you Aaron, and I know that's true."

He clenched his jaw to prevent himself from screaming at her. Instead he silently took her hand and pulled her close as a slow song started. Haley just grinned victoriously.

"Have any of you guys seen Hotch tonight?" Spencer asked when they all took a break from dancing. They were seated around one of the small tables scattered around the gym.

"I have," Penelope said, shooting Emily a gleeful look. "He looks nice. Don't you think so Em?"

Emily gently kicked her friend underneath the table while she said "Yeah, I guess so."

_He looks more than nice, _she thought. _He looks like a freaking model._

"Then why hasn't he come over?" Spencer asked quietly. He had been hoping to say hi to the older boy.

"He's probably too busy with the popular crowd," Derek muttered as he shoved to cookie in his mouth. He had already visited the snack table multiple times.

"He should still come over," Spencer insisted.

A slow song came on at that moment. Penelope shoved Emily out of her seat.

"Emily, you should go look for Hotch _right now._" She raised her eyebrows suggestively.

"Now?" Emily asked faintly.

"Now!" Penelope glared at her friend, and Emily hurried over to the dance floor. It was so packed with students that she could barely see the middle. She weaved her way through swaying couples until she reached the middle of the room. There, right in the center, was Aaron holding Haley tightly in his arms.

Emily's heart shattered into a million pieces and she ran out of the throng of people. Her first instinct would be to run to the bathroom to cry in peace, but that would mean Haley won, and Emily wasn't about to let that happen. She quickly wiped her fingers under her eyes to make sure no tears spilled over, and then stood up tall and walked back to her friends.

"He's dancing with Haley," she said as firmly as she could. Luckily her voice didn't crack while she was saying it.

"See? I told you," Derek said with a shrug. Spencer nodded with a slightly dejected look on his face.

"He'll come over later," Penelope told him after mouthing "I'm sorry" to Emily.

Emily wasn't sure if she wanted him to.

"Will," Aaron called over the thumping bass a few songs later. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Anything man."

"Distract Haley for me," Aaron said desperately.

Will furrowed his eyebrows. "Why?"

"I want to go say hi to some people, but she won't let me." He frowned at how stupid that sounded.

"You don't mean those freaks you call your new friends, do you?" Will asked angrily. Aaron took a step back.

"Why does it matter?"

"Come on Aaron! Why do you want friends like them? You already have tons!" Will gestured to the mass of people surrounding them like Haley had done earlier.

"I hardly know half these people," Aaron insisted.

"Well, they know you!" Will said, giving Aaron a light shove. "Stay with those you know best, right?"

_Wrong, _Aaron thought. _These people don't know me. They don't know how I like to play laser tag or watch Star Wars. They only know the football player. _

"You know what? I don't need your help." He left Will standing there confused as he pushed his way through the crowd. The temperature dropped about five degrees once he reached the outskirts of it. Scanning the nearby tables, he was thrilled to find his true friends sitting a few feet away.

"Hey guys," he gasped as he fell into a chair across from Derek. A quick glance around the table told him that Emily wasn't there. His heart sunk.

"Hey Hotch," the remaining three friends greeted.

"We were wondering when you were gonna come over," Derek said with a smile.

"Yeah, sorry I didn't come over earlier. Haley was holding me hostage," he said dryly.

"Are you seriously letting her control you?" Derek asked in disbelief. "C'mon man, you're stronger than that."

All Aaron could do was shrug. "I'd like to think I'm getting better at that."

"How much better?" Penelope couldn't help but ask. "It doesn't seem like a whole lot."

Aaron raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"Nothing," Penelope said quickly, turning her gaze to the table. Aaron opened his mouth to say something else but Spencer intervened.

"So are you having fun Hotch?" he asked quickly.

Aaron forced himself to shut his mouth and look at Spencer. "Yeah, I guess. What about you guys?"

"We're having tons of fun," Penelope said enthusiastically, trying to move past the previous part of the conversation.

"Yeah," Derek agreed. "Penelope tried to get Spencer to actually dance."

Aaron laughed quietly. "That must have been hilarious." There was a touch of wistfulness in his voice.

"It was," Derek laughed, ignoring Spencer's glare.

Aaron cleared his throat and looked at Spencer. _Be the bigger man. _"Spencer, uh, congratulations on asking Emily to the dance. She's a great girl. You guys make a good couple."

Spencer looked confused. "What are you talking about?"

Aaron frowned. "Didn't you ask Emily to be your date?"

The younger boy's eyes widened. "NO! Gosh no! I see Emily like an older sister!"

Aaron blinked in confusion. "But I heard that-"

"No," Spencer said firmly. "I don't like her that way."

"Emily was actually upset because some guy didn't ask her," Derek put in. "She was considering not coming."

Aaron's mind was racing. _Was she waiting for me? Maybe I didn't lose my chance._

"Oh no!" Penelope suddenly cried. She was reading something on her phone, and she was clearly upset.

"What?" Spencer asked.

She looked up at them. "Emily texted me. She said she's not feeling well and she's leaving." She turned and looked at Aaron. Her gaze clearly said "This is your fault."

Heart pounding, Aaron stood up quickly. "I have to go do something. You guys have a nice night." He left them sitting there in utter confusion.

He raced out of the gym into the hallway. Looking left and right, he decided she would be leaving through the front doors because they were in the direction of her house.

Turning right, he started to sprint along the hallway. How far had she gotten? Could she have already left the school?

He turned down another hallway and immediately spotted her at the other end.

"Emily!" he called. She froze for a second, and then continued to walk the other way.

Clenching his jaw in frustration, he tried again. "Emily!" Nothing. Getting very upset now, he yelled "HEY PRENTISS!"

That got her attention. She stopped walking again and slowly turned around. He hadn't called her Prentiss since the beginning of the school year.

"What?" she spat, staying far away from him. Trying to catch his breath, Aaron took a few tentative steps forward. She didn't run away, so he continued to walk toward her until he was close enough to reach out and touch her. He didn't, of course. It would be too soon.

However, upon reaching her, he realized he didn't know what to say, and she was still watching him expectantly. He decided to tell her the truth.

"I didn't get the chance to tell you how pretty you look."

Whatever she was expecting, that wasn't it. "What?" she asked in confusion.

"No, wait. I lied." Her confusion morphed into anger until he continued to talk. "You don't look pretty. You look beautiful. You ARE beautiful. You're gorgeous. You're the most gorgeous girl in the school. No, screw the school. You're the most gorgeous girl in the WORLD."

Emily's mouth fell open in shock. Was she dreaming?

"What are you saying?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"I'm saying I'm an idiot. I'm an idiot for not breaking up with Haley the minute I saw you. I'm an idiot for not telling you how I feel the minute I realized it. I'm an idiot for not asking you to the Winter Formal."

Emily was definitely dreaming. She had to be. This couldn't be real. Still, it was a nice dream. She figured she could keep it going for a bit longer.

"What do you want?" she managed to say. Aaron's gaze softened as he looked at her in her blue dress. He had always liked the color blue.

"You," he said simply.

For a second Emily thought she heard him wrong. Then she remembered she was dreaming. _DAMN._

_Then _she realized her feet were killing her.

_Wait, _she thought eagerly. _If my feet hurt, than this isn't a dream!_

"You can't mean that," she whispered, not wanting to get ahead of herself.

"But I do," he said equally quiet. "You make me feel like myself whenever I'm around you, which is the only time I feel happy. You've introduced me to your friends even though they wanted nothing to do with me at first. You're nice to everyone who is nice to you, and you're incredibly smart. And like I said earlier, you're the most gorgeous girl in the world."

Emily blushed and looked down at the floor. Aaron knew it was now or never.

Taking a deep breath he said "I think I'm falling in love with you Emily Prentiss. Please tell me you feel the same way." His voice was soft and pleading.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and Aaron felt terrible. "Oh sweetheart, please don't cry."

"No," she said with a small giggle. "These are happy tears Aaron, trust me. I think I'm falling in love with you too."

His heart soared and he smile widely at her. She returned it eagerly.

He took a tiny step forward. "Can I kiss you?" His voice was no louder than a whisper. Emily shivered.

"Please," she breathed.

Aaron took another step towards her and gently placed his lips on hers. It was sweet and gentle at first. His hands went to her waist and pulled her easily closer to him. She pressed her lips harder to his, winding her fingers through his hair like she had wanted to do since she first saw him.

He slowly ran his tongue across her lower lip, and she immediately opened up to him. He wrapped his arms more securely around her body as Emily trailed her fingers down his cheek.

She had kissed several guys before, but never like this. This was pure bliss. He was a great kisser, and Emily didn't feel like she was standing in the middle of a school hallway. She honestly didn't care as to where she was as long as she was with Aaron.

Aaron knew full well they were in a place where someone could come in and see them, but he didn't give a crap. He was finally kissing Emily, and it was the best thing in the world. It just felt so right to be there with her. If someone walked by right now and saw them, he would probably laugh and then yell at them for interrupting this mind-blowing kiss.

All Aaron could think about was how he finally had his girl, and he was never letting go.

**A/N: Did it meet everyone's expectations? I certainly hope so. :) I'm expecting tons of reviews letting me know about what you thought. :) :)**


	28. Chasing Cars and Talking

BAU High School

Chapter 28: Chasing Cars and Talking

The Christmas break for the students was uneventful. They all enjoyed Christmas itself with their respectful families, but after that they all spilt up for the rest of the vacation. Derek went to Chicago with his sisters and his mom, Spencer went to Las Vegas with his mom to visit other relatives, and Penelope went to New York with her parents and her brothers. Emily was stuck in Virginia for once. Her mother didn't need to go anywhere during the week, so the Prentiss stayed home.

Emily was very lonely without her friends. She talked on the phone with Penelope everyday and texted the boys as well, but it wasn't the same. She resorted to staying inside and watching every movie her family owned.

The only good part about people going away for break was JJ and Haley's families were headed to Florida together. That meant Emily could walk around the town if she wanted to without having to worry about running into them. It also meant she could get together with Aaron if she truly wanted to.

Granted, that would have worked if he wasn't skiing in Colorado with Will.

She couldn't even text him because apparently he had no service that the lodge he was in.

When he first told her that, part of her couldn't help but wonder if he was lying. That part of her was the insecure part. It was the side of her that still told her Aaron didn't care about her even after that amazing kiss. It told her he still loved Haley, and he only wanted a bit of excitement.

Emily told that part to shut the hell up, but the worries were still there. The way they had left things at the Winter Formal weren't exactly soothing.

After they reluctantly pulled apart, they gazed at each other breathlessly. Their eyes were shining with excitement.

"This is crazy," she breathed.

"It is," he agreed. He kissed her again. "But crazy is good, right?"

"It is," she said with a giggle. Aaron smiled and brought his hand to her cheek. She leaned into his touch.

"Let's get out of here," he suggested. "We can go get something to eat."

Emily bit her lip. "What about Haley?"

Aaron blinked. "What about her?"

"You're just gonna leave her here?"

He opened his mouth and shut it again. It looked like he was trying to organize his words. "She has JJ to drive her home." He gave her a look. "I'm done with Haley. I don't want to be with her anymore. I want to be with _you_."

She gave him a sad smile. "I know you do, and I want to be with you too, but I don't want to get together with you like this." At his confused look, she said "I don't want you to become one of those assholes who leave their date alone at the dance. You're so much better than that." She grabbed his hand and squeezed his tightly.

"Go back to Haley," she whispered. "I trust you."

He searched her eyes for some sort of sign that showed she was lying but found none. "Okay," he said softly. He rested his forehead on hers. "I'm so sorry Emily. I should have asked you. I promise you, I'll make it up to you."

She gently pressed her lips to his. "I believe you."

He pulled away and gazed at her lovingly. "Can you do one thing for me?"

"Anything."

He smiled his most charming smile. "Go back to the dance and tell our friends you're okay."

She let out an annoyed sigh, though he heart warmed at him saying "our friends." "And watch Haley cling to you like there's no tomorrow?"

"You don't have to stay. They're just worried about you." He squeezed his hand. "And besides, I don't want to kiss or dance or anything with anyone but you, so it won't be fun for me."

That didn't really soothe her a whole lot, but it was still nice to hear. "Okay. But can I ask for something as well?"

"Of course sweetheart." Emily's heart soared at the endearment.

"Will you dance with me now?" she asked hopefully.

His eyes softened. "Of course." His hands went to her waist and hers went to his shoulders. He pulled her close against his body.

She let out a content sigh and closed her eyes as she rested her head on his chest. The two began to sway to the silent music.

He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "What are we dancing to?"

She thought about it for a second and then whispered the song she always pictured listening to when she danced with him. "Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol."

Aaron smiled and kissed the top of her head before signing softly.

"_If I lay here_

_If I just lay here_

_Would you lie with me_

_And just forget the world?"_

She smiled and whispered "You have a nice voice."

He blushed slightly. "Thanks." Haley always told him not to sing around her.

_Yeah, well she's not Haley, _he thought fondly.

Too soon they stepped away from each other.

"We should get back," she said sadly.

He gave her a quick kiss. "We'll be together soon."

She gave him a melancholy smile and began to walk back toward the gym. They were still a little ways away, so he took her hand.

"Can we keep this between the two of us?" he asked. "At least until we figure it out?"

She knew he was talking about their friends, especially Penelope. Emily really wanted to tell them, but she understood why they had to be quiet about it.

"Of course." They were now one hallway before the gym. If the turned the corner, everyone would see them.

Aaron gave her one more kiss. "Goodnight, my beautiful Emily."

She squeezed his hand one last time. "Goodnight, my wonderful Aaron."

He flashed a dimple and reluctantly stepped away. Giving her a sad smile, he disappeared around the corner.

True to her word, Emily returned to the dance. She told her friends she seriously wasn't feeling good while skillfully avoiding Penelope's demanding eyes. When they tried to tell her they would come with her, she waved her hand and insisted they stay.

"Have fun," she said. "I'll talk to you guys tomorrow." She hurried off before they could ask her anything else.

When she reached the gym doors, she turned around just in time to see Haley kiss Aaron passionately. Her heart sunk to her feet, and she had to turn away to prevent herself from crying.

_Remember what he said, _she told herself. _He cares about you. He does. _

When she walked past the place of their kiss, she did feel a bit better. That at ease feeling remained as she walked home in the freezing cold, remained as she entered her empty house and took a steaming shower, and remained as she put on her pajamas and settled into bed.

She fell asleep listening to Chasing Cars over and over, and continued to feel at ease until she woke up early the next morning. Snow fell peacefully outside her window. Emily watched it fall as she tried to figure out what had her awake at six in the morning on vacation.

It was a dream. Aaron had been there, and they had been dancing. It had been perfect until Haley stomped up. She asked Aaron if he loved her, and he said yes. Emily's heart broke as he released his hold on her and pulled Haley into his arms. Haley had shot Emily a victorious look.

"What do you think happened after you left?" she hissed snidely. "Do you really think he kept his hands off of me?"

That was why Emily was wide awake at six in the morning, staring at her phone and debating whether she should call Aaron. Was it too early? Should she give him space?

_You need to trust him! _Her mind screamed. _He truly cares about you! _

Still Emily wasn't sure. It didn't help when Penelope called to see how she was feeling and let slip that Aaron was often seen kissing Haley after she left. It didn't help when Aaron sent her a lame text saying there was no service up at the lodge.

None of it helped, and Emily was stuck to deal with it alone over break. For the first time in her life, she was looking forward to school the following week.

They returned to school on January third, which was a Monday. Emily's stomach was all twisted in a bunch of knots as she approached the school. She didn't know what to expect. Her hands were balled up in the pockets of her puffy white jacket. It was the moment of truth.

She found Penelope before she found anyone else. Penelope threw her arms around Emily as soon as she saw her.

"Ahhhh! I missed you!" Penelope cried.

"I missed you too Pen," Emily said with a smile. "How was New York?"

"Crowded," Penelope laughed. "But fun nonetheless."

The two parted when the warning bell rang. Emily slowly walked to her Chemistry room, both nervous and excited. Nervous because she was scared Aaron's feelings had changed over break. Excited because this was her first time seeing him in more than a week.

As soon as she stepped into the classroom, her heart sank in disappointment. He wasn't there. Their table was empty.

Hanging her head in despair, she walked over to the table and set her bag down. Her eyes began to watch the clock intently, counting down the moments before the bell rang. Where w_as _he?

A few second before the bell, Aaron shot into the classroom. He was out of breath and his cheeks were bright red. Emily's heart began to thump wildly.

His eyes scanned his classroom until they met hers. A wide smile spread across his face and he twitched his fingers as a way of greeting. She grinned back.

"Hey Hotchner! Why are you late? I thought you were Mr. Punctual!" one of his friends called from the back of the room. Aaron quickly turned his attention to them.

"Car problems," he said easily. "It got snowed in." Emily's heart leapt at the sound of his voice. She had missed it.

Mr. Danielson called the class to attention at that moment, preventing Emily from saying anything to Aaron, much to her disappointment. He couldn't do anything because of the boys sitting behind them.

Finally they bell rang and the entire class raced out of the room, including the teacher. That left Emily and Aaron alone at last.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He was packing up his bag.

Clearing her throat, she said "Hi."

Aaron looked up and smiled at her. "Hi."

"I missed you," she confessed, watching him stand up.

"I missed you too," he said casually. "The whole no service thing was stupid."

Again she wondered if he was lying about that.

He glanced at the clock. "Look, I have to go. I've got to go meet someone. Can you meet me in the locker room during third period? I promise it will be empty."

Her heart had sunk when he said he was meeting someone. Was it Haley?

"Sure," she said softly, trying not to let her sadness show.

_He's probably going to break up with me, _she thought. _We're not even dating yet!_

Aaron must have sensed her unease because he reached out and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"I'm sorry sweetheart. I'll see you then." After making sure they were completely alone, he bent down and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Emily's stomach fluttered.

"Okay," she said reluctantly. He smiled and walked out of the room.

Emily spent the whole next period wondering if she was idiot. Was she stupid to let Aaron go meet someone that could possibly be Haley? She was going to ask him who, but then he had kissed her and called her sweetheart.

_Damn him and his ability to make my mind to fuzzy, _she thought. She let out a deep breath and forced herself to count to ten. She had to trust him. Haley obviously didn't and that was one of the reasons Aaron didn't want to be with her anymore. She just needed to trust him.

Second period dragged on forever until the bell finally rung. Emily willed herself not to flat out sprint to the locker room. Instead she walked as slowly as she could without bursting. She finally reached the boys locker room door five minutes later.

She hesitated. Emily knew Aaron said it would be empty, but that didn't mean it was now. Closing her eyes, she tentatively grabbed the door handle and slipped in.

"Aaron?" she called, keeping her eyes shut. Her voice echoed in the large room.

"Emily?" she heard him say before he laughed. "You don't have to close your eyes. We're completely alone."

She allowed her eyes to open a crack so she could confirm it. The only person she saw was a tall boy a few feet away from her. She breathed a sigh of relief and opened them all the way.

Aaron was smiling at her. He strode over and quickly pulled her into a kiss. All her fears went away and she melted into his kiss. Her hands went to his face as he slowly ran his hands down her sides.

When they pulled away, he rested his forehead on hers. "I missed you so much," he whispered.

"Didn't you have fun?" she asked as she trailed her fingers across his cheek.

"I did," he agreed, reaching up to take her hand. "But when you get used to seeing someone every day and suddenly they're not there, it's tough. Especially when that person is someone you've been crushing on for a long time and you've finally gotten the balls to do something about it."

Emily laughed. "A long time?" she asked with a shy smile.

"The week after the championship game was when I figured it out," he confessed. "But I think they've been there for much longer."

"The week after the game?" she repeated in awe.

"Yeah," he said looking confused. "Why?"

"I figured it out the night of the game," she said with a giggle. He smiled and quickly pressed his lips to hers.

"Great minds think alike," he said against them.

They pulled away and Aaron immediately noticed something in Emily's eyes. "What's wrong?"

She licked her lips nervously. "So what does this mean?"

He frowned. "I think this means we have great minds and we both like each other."

"No," she said gently swatting him on the arm. "What about our relationship? What is it?"

He finally understood and gently pulled her over to a nearby bench. After she sat down he wrapped his arm around her and hugged her close.

"I wish I could say this meant you were my girlfriend, but I won't feel right about it until I officially break up with Haley."

She gave him a sad smile. "You're such a gentleman."

"Is that a good thing?" he asked hopefully.

She kissed his cheek. "It's a great thing."

A relived smile spread across his face. "Good. Don't worry, I intend to end things with her a soon as possible. Today, even."

Emily smiled broadly as she looked up at him. "Really?"

Aaron kissed her forehead. "Yep. Then this weekend I'm taking you on a date."

She snuggled against him, wondering if he could hear how fast her heart was beating. "I can't wait."

**A/N: I'm glad everyone liked the last chapter! :) You guys are amazing in terms of reviews. Please keep it up! It only takes a second! :)**


	29. The BreakUp

**Alright, here it is. One of the most anticipated chapters for this story. I hope it lives up to your expectations!**

BAU High School

Chapter 29: The Break-Up

When the bell rang at the end of third period, Emily slowly pulled herself out of Aaron's arms. Earlier in the period, Aaron spread his sweatshirt on the floor so they could lie down together. She had her head on his chest while he rubbed her back. They talked about random things like their favorite TV shows and bands while occasionally sneaking in a kiss or two. It had been the most relaxing part of Emily's day and she was sad to see it was over. Now he had to go off with Haley unless….

She looked at him as he stood up and shook out his sweatshirt. His hair was slightly mussed from lying on the ground. He looked so cute. Emily bit her lip and debated about what to say. Sighing, she decided to just come out and say it.

"So what are you going to do now?" she asked quietly keeping her eyes on the floor.

"What'd you mean?" he asked absent-mindedly while he unlocked the locker room doors. He had locked it before they settled down on the floor.

"You're going to see Haley to lunch," Emily said flatly as she played with the hem of her black sweater.

Realization dawned on his face and he strode over to where she was standing. He gave her a sly smile.

"Save me a seat at your table. I'm going to need it after I break up with Haley."

Her eyes widened and a smile spread across her face. "Really?"

He kissed her softly. "Really."

* * *

><p>Spencer walked to the lunch room with an odd feeling in his stomach. He had just spent third period like he usually did: working with JJ. The study session had proceeded as usual except it had a different ending.<p>

When the bell rang, he began to put his books back in his leather bag. JJ was fidgeting with her phone. She looked up when he stood up.

"Great job today JJ," he said politely as he started to walk to the door.

"Spencer, wait!" He turned around to see JJ hurrying up to him.

"I just wanted to say you looked handsome at the dance a few weeks ago," she said coolly, a faint blush creeping up her face. He noticed she was clutching her phone tightly.

"Seriously?" he said in awe. No one had ever called him handsome before. Emily and Penelope just said he looked very cute.

"Yeah," she replied with a slight roll of her eyes. She walked off after that without another word, leaving him standing there in utter confusion.

_I guess I'll never understand girls, _he thought as he walked into the lunch room. Spencer quickly spotted his friends and hurried over. He had barely taken a seat when Emily plopped down next to him.

"Hi," she said breathlessly, her eyes sparkling with pure happiness. Her cheeks held a faint blush as well.

"Hi," Derek mimicked. "Don't you look happy."

"I am," she said quickly before spinning around in her seat to look at the jock's table across the room. Aaron was just walking over, and he looked at their table at that moment. He flashed Emily a grin which she eagerly returned. She looked back at her own table.

"We're gonna need an extra seat," she said cryptically.

"Why?" Penelope asked, obviously curious as to why her friend looked so giddy.

"Just a feeling," she said with a giggle. Her gaze returned to the other side of the room. Spencer exchanged looks with Derek and Penelope. Something was up, and he guessed they were about to find out what.

* * *

><p>Will could really piss JJ off sometimes. Seriously. Sometimes he just made her want to end things with him once and for all. She was tired of taking his crap all the time.<p>

Now was one of those times. Okay, so she wasn't ready to completely end things, but she was thoroughly pissed now.

He texted her over and over on Sunday asking why she wasn't calling him the minute he returned from Colorado with Aaron. She didn't have a good answer, nor did she _want _to give him an answer, so she ignored him.

Of course, that only frustrated him more. As soon as she walked into History today he was right by her side demanding to know where she had been.

"Home," she spat wondering when it had become a crime to sit on her couch.

That answer had only caused him to be literally spitting flames. As soon as History was over she retreated to the safety of the library. She was so focused on getting away she hadn't even realized Aaron didn't follow her.

Either way, Will wasn't done. He texted her repeatedly all through third period. It only made it worse when she tried to tell him to leave her alone because she was studying with Spencer.

_SPENCER REID? _Will had texted. _That loser better not try anything! _

That did it for JJ. Like the younger boy would even think about doing something!

So just to spite Will (though he would never hear about it) JJ told Spencer he looked good at the Winter Formal a few weeks ago. She wasn't lying either. His tux made him look more grown up. It was nice.

It was clear her statement had startled the kid, and she worked hard to prevent herself from smiling at his stunned expression. It was kinda adorable.

JJ was still grinning like a crazy person when she walked up to her lunch table. One look at Will's face wiped it away faster than humanly possible.

"Why were you ignoring my texts?" he asked in a low voice.

"I told you," she hissed as she sat down across from him. "I was studying."

"With Spencer Reid," he spat back.

"So what? It's just Spencer." Will opened his mouth to retort when his gaze slid past JJ to Aaron who was walking up to the table.

"Hey man," Will said ignoring JJ completely now. Aaron just gave a little nod before scanning the cafeteria. Will returned to his lunch, but JJ watched Aaron closely. She followed his gaze to the opposite side of the room. To be more specific, Emily Prentiss' table. Emily gave Aaron a wide grin which he returned. He turned back to the table and took a deep breath. His eyes landed on JJ's.

"Don't hate me for this," he said quietly so no one else could hear.

"Huh? Hate you for what?" she asked in confusion.

He ignored her and walked to where Haley sat at the other side of the table.

"Hey babe!" she said leaning in for a kiss. Aaron put his hand up to stop her.

"We need to talk," he said instead. Haley looked confused.

"Okay," she said slowly. "So talk."

He looked at the group of people at the table. They weren't staring, but the lack of conversation proved they were all eavesdropping.

"Maybe we should go somewhere private," he said hesitantly.

Haley raised her eyebrows suggestively. "Oh, so it's _that kind _of talk?"

"No!" Aaron said quickly. He glanced at Emily's table again. She was waiting for him. He turned back to Haley.

"How do you feel about me being friends with Emily?" he asked. "Be honest."

Haley looked confused for a moment before becoming a tad bit angry. "I don't like it."

"Okay. What about Derek Morgan, Penelope Garcia, and Spencer Reid?"

Her eyes widened. "You're not friends with _all _of them, are you?" she whispered in horror.

The corners of his mouth twisted up. "Yeah, I am."

Haley's mouth fell open. "But- But Morgan calls you that stupid nickname. What was it? Oh yeah, Hotch." She said his nickname like it was the worst swear in the English language.

He shrugged. "I like it."

Her mouth fell open even farther. "But they're losers!"

"No, Haley," he said shaking his head. "They're my best friends."

"No!" she said hysterically. "These are your best friends!" She gestured wildly to the group sitting around them.

"These guys hardly know me," Aaron insisted.

Haley opened and closed her mouth over and over. "This isn't right Aaron."

"It isn't? Huh, that's odd, because it feels so right," he said standing up. "And if you can't accept that, then we're done."

"WHAT?" Haley shrieked. The whole lunch room fell silent. Emily's head whipped around to look at the fighting couple. A smile spread across her face.

"What's going on over there?" Penelope whispered.

"You'll see," Emily said gleefully.

Back at the other side of the room, Haley looked positively livid. "You can't be serious."

"But I am Haley," Aaron said forcing himself to think of Emily.

"Alright, fine! I'll support you being friends with them!" she hissed. The lunch room thankfully returned to their normal conversations though they wouldn't stop staring at Haley and Aaron.

He chuckled. "You don't get it, do you? I wasn't looking for your support. It would have been nice at the beginning, sure, but it doesn't matter now. I want to break up."

"Why?" Haley whispered in a broken voice. A few months ago, that voice would have brought Aaron to his knees.

_Not anymore, _he thought.

"I don't like they way you treat people Haley. We've discussed this."

"Then I'll change," she said desperately.

"That's the thing Haley! You won't! You told me you would, but you never did." He shrugged. "You lost your chance."

"It's because of _her _isn't it?" Haley hissed, suddenly looking very angry.

"That's part of it, yes," he responded truthfully.

"That bitch," she spat with utter contempt.

"Don't you dare call her that," Aaron said forcefully, now equally angry. "She's amazing, and she's done nothing to you."

"She took you from me!"

He gave Haley a sad smile. "No, she didn't. She just helped me realize what I would have eventually sooner. You and I are done. Goodbye, Haley."

Every single eye in the cafeteria followed Aaron as he made his way over to his friends' table near the back. Whispers began to spread throughout the room, but Aaron wasn't listening. He was too focused on the pair of beautiful brown eyes shining with love and happiness in front of him.

"Ready to go public as a couple?" he said as soon as he finally reached her.

Emily didn't answer, instead pulling him closer to her. He leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. A few people whooped and whistled, though they were silenced by Haley's venomous look.

When they came up for air, Aaron looked around the room. A small grin appeared on his face.

"Well, go on. Go back to your lunches." His eyes sparkled teasingly though his voice was stern. Nobody wanted to mess with Aaron Hotchner, so they did as they were told.

Aaron turned back to his new table. "So, where should I sit?"

"AHHHH!" Penelope cried. She leapt out of her seat and threw her arms around Aaron. "I knew you liked her that way!" She turned to Emily. "Didn't I tell you that?"

Emily laughed. "Yes, you did."

Aaron looked at Derek and Spencer. They hadn't said anything since he walked over.

"What'd you guys think?" he asked hesitantly.

Spencer smiled shyly. "I'm really happy for you guys." His voice was genuine which put Aaron a bit more at ease. He looked at the dark-skinned boy sitting next to Spencer.

"Well?"

Derek sighed. "I have only one thing to say." He stood up so he could look Aaron in the eye. "If you hurt her in _any way_, I will make sure you regret it for the rest of your life."

"I understand," Aaron said solemnly. "But Derek, believe me when I say, I will _never _hurt her."

"Hey, the 'her' you're talking about is right here!" Emily said in an irritated voice. The two boys grinned.

"We know," Aaron said squeezing her hand.

"Derek?" Penelope prompted. "Don't you have something to say to the happy couple?"

Derek grinned widely. "I'm really happy for you guys." He looked at Penelope. "Good enough for you?"

Everyone laughed as Penelope smacked him on the arm. Aaron took a seat next to Emily and let out a long sigh. She looked at him.

"Are _you_ happy?" she asked nervously. He kissed her on the cheek.

"I couldn't be happier. There's just one more thing…" He turned to he was facing her completely.

"Emily Prentiss," he said in a dramatic voice. Emily laughed as the rest of the table looked over with grins on their faces. "Will you officially be my girlfriend?"

She kissed him on the lips. "Yes, I would love to officially be your girlfriend." She loved saying it.

"Wonderful," Aaron said. He wrapped his arm around her as he turned back to the table. He grinned at his friends. "Guess you're stuck with me now."

"Damn it," Derek joked. Penelope smacked him again.

"We're happy to have you, Hotch," Spencer said softly.

And they were.

**A/N 2: Yay, they've officially broken up! I know a lot of people were waiting for that. :) But believe me when I say this story is far from over. Haley is certainly not done with our favorite teens. Please let me know what you thought and leave a review!**

**Oh, and I need to ask this: Who wants to see Spencer and JJ get together eventually? I'm not sure as to where I'm going to take that storyline, so I'd love some input! Please let me know because that could really affect this story! :)**


	30. JJ's Reaction

BAU High School

Chapter 30: JJ's Reaction

JJ sat there in shock as Aaron announced that he and Haley were done. Her mouth fell open when he walked to the other side of the room, and she was certain she threw up a bit in her mouth when he kissed Emily in front of everyone.

So that was what he was worried about her hating him for. He broke up with Haley once and for all and had chosen Emily Prentiss.

Part of JJ was happy for Aaron. He had finally figured out who he was and what he wanted. She could tell he was happy with his decision, and because he was her friend, she would try to be happy as well.

She snuck a glance at Haley. The other girl hadn't moved since Aaron walked off. She looked beyond furious.

_Oh hell, _JJ thought. _She's my best friend. How can I be happy about something like this? _

She looked around at the rest of the table. They were all sitting with their mouths hanging open. Will was gripping his sandwich so hard JJ thought it would fall apart. In fact, it was.

Something hit her while she was watching Will. He was Aaron's best friend, and yet Aaron didn't tell _him _not to be mad. He only told JJ this.

_That's really weird, _she thought. _Why would he do that?_

Haley was finally moving. She stiffly walked over to the table and sat down. A few cheerleaders patted her on the arm, but she wrenched her arm away the second they laid their hands down.

"I don't need your pity," she hissed. "This is only temporary."

The other girls recoiled and inched away. JJ, however, leaned forward.

"Temporary?" she whispered. "It doesn't seem like that."

Haley's head snapped up and she glared at JJ. "It is. He's going to realize he needs me, and he'll come running back. You watch."

JJ sat back and looked towards where Aaron was sitting. His back was facing her, but she could tell he was happy. He was holding Emily's hand, and every now and then his shoulders would shake as though he was laughing. She could count five times in two minutes.

That was more than he laughed in an entire period with them.

JJ could clearly see Derek Morgan blow his straw wrapper at Spencer. A second later Penelope punched him on the arm, and everyone at the table laughed.

She felt an odd feeling in her stomach. What was it? It happened every time she saw Aaron with his new friends.

JJ figured it out when she was walking out of the lunch room with Haley and Will. She had just seen Aaron and Co. laughing hysterically at something.

It was jealousy. Pure jealousy.

JJ gasped when it hit her. Was she really jealous of people like Spencer and Emily? Was that even possible?

_It can't be, _she thought. _I have plenty of friends, so I don't need losers like them._

_Losers like them. _Did that include Aaron now? He had obviously chosen which girl he wanted, and it seemed like chose which group he wanted as well.

JJ felt her stomach twist at the thought of calling Aaron a loser. No one would ever picture him to be like the unpopular people of the school, yet after what just happened it didn't seem right to call him popular.

Her head was beginning to throb with the signs of an oncoming headache. She didn't want to answer all these questions at the moment, and part of her didn't want to answer them at all, but she knew it would happen eventually.

She decided to talk to Aaron later and ask him what all this meant. She really wanted to know why he didn't want her to be mad out of everybody else in their group. It had been bugging her.

JJ had been so wrapped up in her thoughts she hadn't even noticed Haley had dropped back to talk to her.

"I say we ditch this period and start thinking of a way to get Aaron to come back to us," she said in a low voice. People were staring as they walked down the hall, though Haley made them look away with a single glare. It was clear that word was travelling about her and Aaron's break up.

"I thought you said he would come back on his own?"

"He will!" hissed Haley. "I just want to help speed along the process."

JJ bit her lip. She wasn't sure she wanted to help Haley with this. It was clear Aaron was happy, and she didn't want to be the one to crush that happiness. It wasn't often Aaron smiled as much as he did in the lunch room today.

"JJ? What do you think?" Haley was asking impatiently.

"Uh, to be honest with you, I'm not feeling so hot. I think I have a massive headache coming on." That wasn't a complete lie: JJ did have a slowly growing headache. Was it bad enough to leave school? No, but Haley didn't know that.

Haley let out a frustrated groan. "Fine, go home or something. We'll talk later." She stormed off leaving JJ standing there all alone. JJ noticed Haley didn't even seem worried for her friend's wellbeing.

Rubbing her fingertips against her temple, JJ slowly walked to the nurse's office. They immediately told her it was okay to go without giving her a thorough check-up. _One of the perks of being the soccer captain, _JJ thought.

As she walked to her car in the freezing January air, she pulled out her phone and texted Aaron.

_We need to talk. Stop by my house after school. Alone. _The last part was to make sure he didn't bring his new best friends in the hopes of getting JJ to become one of them.

His reply came back instantly. _Of course. I'll be there._

* * *

><p>Derek, Spencer, Emily, and Aaron walked into Psychology together that afternoon. Aaron and Emily were holding hands which continued to amaze the two boys.<p>

"It's just too weird," Derek muttered.

"It's just too new," Spencer supplied shooting Derek a look. "We'll get used to it soon enough."

"How soon?" Emily teased. She had never been so happy on a Monday after vacation before.

"Can't put a definite time on that," Derek said as he sat down on his desk.

Aaron squeezed Emily's hand. "Don't worry. It'll become normal to everyone soon."

Emily knew he wasn't just talking about their friends' reactions. Ever since they had revealed their relationship at lunch they had been the focus of everyone's stares all over the school. They had been all everyone could talk about. No one could believe that football player Aaron Hotchner had dumped his girlfriend of four years for the new girl.

Aaron was used to the whispers, but Emily wasn't. She found it unnerving to have people constantly talk about you, and she knew that the more people gossiped about it the more pissed Haley would become.

_And it hasn't even been a full day since it happened, _she thought.

Gideon strode into the room right before the bell rang. He eyed everyone in the room before landing on Aaron and Emily. More specifically their hands which were dangling between their desks. Their fingers were still intertwined.

A small smile spread across his face. "When did this happen?" he asked nodding towards their hands.

Shy smiles appeared on both of their faces. "Officially, at lunch today," said Aaron proudly.

Gideon raised his eyebrows at the boy's wording. "How about unofficially?"

The happy smiles were replaced be guilty smiles almost immediately.

Aaron cleared his throat. "The Winter Formal." Derek and Spencer looked over in surprise. The couple hadn't fully told them the story of how they got together, though they assumed it had been before that day. They just hadn't realized it had been before Christmas. Derek shot Emily a look that clearly said "Penelope's going to kill you if you don't tell her the whole story."

Gideon knew very well what that meant, but he wasn't about to judge. Aaron seemed like a good kid who would never intentionally hurt someone. Plus, he seemed really happy now, and Gideon wasn't about to ruin it.

He gave them a small nod. "Well, congratulations."

"Thank you," they both said in relief. They were worried Gideon would scold them on how they had gotten together.

The class proceeded as normal after that, and before long the bell rang. The four teens said goodbye to Gideon and left the room.

"So now what?" Derek asked clapping his hands together. "We have to celebrate _this_." He gestured to Aaron and Emily's hands which were once again clasped together.

"I have homework," Spencer said."

"You're a genius! How can you be worried about homework?" Derek cried incredulously.

Spencer shrugged. "I just am."

Aaron clapped Derek on the back. "As much as I want to celebrate, I have to go to JJ's house."

Emily raised her eyebrows. "Should I be worried?" she teased, though part of her was serious.

He quickly gave his girlfriend a kiss on the cheek. "Of course not. JJ's a friend, and you know that."

"It's not JJ I'm worried about," Emily said quietly.

Derek spoke before Aaron could say anything else. "Alright, fine, but we're gonna celebrate this weekend, okay?"

"Can't wait." Now that he was free of Haley, Aaron's weekends just opened up.

He said goodbye to his friends and drove to JJ's house. She lived in the wealthier part of town, near Haley's house. Aaron lived only a few streets away as well.

JJ opened the door as soon as he knocked. She had changed into her pajamas as soon as she got home and was wrapped up in a blanket. Her blonde hair looked like she had taken a very long nap.

"You look like hell," Aaron remarked as he stepped inside the spacious foyer.

"Gee, thanks," JJ muttered as she led the way down the hall to her large living room. The television was playing reruns of That 70s Show. She curled up on the leather sofa, leaving Aaron to sit in a cushioned rocking chair facing the TV. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Aaron spoke.

"So, did Haley tell you to get me over here? Did she give you strict orders about making me come back to her?" He kept his face unreadable as he watched JJ closely.

"No," she said softly. "She doesn't know you're here. If she did, she would be hiding in the kitchen ready to ambush you."

"True. So why am I here?"

"I think you know why," she hissed. "I want answers."

Aaron leaned back in the chair. "Are you going to tell Haley?"

JJ hesitated for just a second before saying "Not if you don't want me to."

"I don't want you to."

She sighed. "Then I won't."

"Thank you," he said softly. "Go ahead and ask whatever you want."

"When?" was all she said.

"The Winter Formal," he said, his gaze never wavering. JJ's mouth fell open.

"But you were with Haley!"

"Please, JJ," he said harshly. "Don't humor me. I know Haley fooled around with other guys behind my back. Besides, all Emily and I did was kiss. We didn't officially declare ourselves a couple until I broke up with Haley."

JJ sucked her lips in before saying "So are you officially one of them?"

"What'd you mean?"

She raised her eyes to meet his. "Do you prefer hanging out with _them _than us?"

"Yes," he said honestly. "I'm more comfortable around them."

"So, what? Are just going to give up on all your other friends?" she asked angrily.

Aaron sighed. "No, of course not. I just have to see who sticks by me."

"What do you mean?" JJ asked slowly.

"I need to see who supports me in my decision to be friends with Derek, Spencer, Penelope, and Emily. I knew Haley wasn't one of those people, so that's why I broke up with her." JJ was pleased to see he answered one of her questions on his own, though she didn't like the answer.

"Right," she said sarcastically. "_That's_ why you broke up with her. It wasn't because you wanted to kiss another girl!"

Aaron kept his face blank, though his eyes hardened. "I was hoping you would be one of the people who supported me, though it certainly doesn't seem that way now."

Her eyes widened. "Me?"

"Yes, you," he said in an annoyed voice. "We _are_ friends, though the only reason we started to become friends was because Haley told you to get closer to me."

JJ averted her eyes. "How did you know?"

He chuckled humorlessly. "I know my ex-girlfriend. She needed to know what was going on in my life." It felt weird to call Haley his ex.

"Sorry," she said quietly. He waved his hand dismissively.

"Don't be. I'm glad we're friends."

They were silent while JJ figured out what to say next. She tried to remember what was bothering her earlier. A moment later it hit her.

"What about Will?"

"I'm sorry?"

She took a deep breath. "Do you want Will to be one of the people to support you?"

Aaron sighed. "I do, but I don't think he will. He's too much like Haley in that aspect."

"Is that why you didn't tell him to be mad?" At his confused look, JJ said "You told me not to be mad at you before you broke up with Haley, but not Will."

He looked surprised that she had picked up on that. "I just knew he wouldn't understand, but you would."

"But I don't. Haley's my best friend, and I know you two have had your fights over the years, but you've always gotten over them."

"We just don't work together anymore," he said softly. "I'm sorry if I've put you in a hard place, but I knew that if you didn't understand right now, you would eventually."

She sighed. "Aaron…"

"Just hear me out," he said earnestly leaning forward in his chair. "I know you have plenty of friends already who you like very much, but I truly think you'll have more fun with us." Her gut twisted when he said "us."

"I'm not like you, Aaron!" she cried. "They think I'm a bitch, and you know it."

"They just don't know you yet," he insisted. "They thought I was a huge jerk before too, but they've gotten to know me."

JJ gave Aaron a sad look. "I-I just don't know."

His face softened. "I understand." He stood up, walked to the doorway, and stopped once he got there.

"I just need to know one thing," he said turning his head slightly. "Do you support me even a little bit?"

She was silent for the longest time. Aaron was about to leave when he heard her say something in a very tiny voice.

"I do. I do support you."

He turned around and gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you."

JJ sat up straight. "This doesn't mean I'm going to be friends with them."

"I know."

"And we're gonna have keep this quiet. You know, so Haley won't find out."

"I know." Aaron left then, leaving JJ to her thoughts. She could feel her headache start to make a reappearance, so she slowly lay down on the couch to take a nap. Before long she fell asleep, and she had a crazy dream involving Aaron, Haley, and Emily Prentiss.

She ended up becoming best friends with Emily in her dream which should have horrified her. Instead, she woke up actually feeling disappointed that it was just a dream.

**A/N: Thank you so much for you response to last chapter! It was wonderful to see how many people like the story. I really appreciated yuor input and I know what I'm going to do now. I just hope you'll all respect what I do. :)**

**Please leave a review!**


	31. Celebrations and The First Date

**A/N: Yay, their first date! I wanted to post this last night because yesterday was the 2 month anniversary of this story, (crazy, I know!) but I didn't have enough time. But it's here now, so here you go! I hope the first part of this chapter isn't too weird...**

BAU High School

Chapter 31: Celebrations and The First Date

As the week progressed, it was clear some major changes had taken place within the school. The most obvious was Aaron no longer sat with the jocks at lunch or in any of his classes. In History he sat with Derek near the front as opposed to with Will.

If there was one thing Aaron wished didn't change, it was his friendship with Will. After he broke up with Haley and officially sided with Emily and the others, Will all but stopped talking to him. It was like Aaron didn't exist.

Actually, _all_ the jocks stopped talking to him. He had become an outcast just like his friends. Haley still wanted him back, but until that happened, he was on his own.

Even Principal Strauss began to treat him like a pariah. Before everything happened, Aaron was one of her star students mainly because he was the quarterback and Strauss loved her sports. He was also dating Haley, who in Strauss' eyes was the embodiment of the perfect girl. Now he had left all that behind and was hanging out with the people she considered to be the rejects of the school. Strauss had hated Emily from the first day and it showed.

The day after Aaron and Emily went public, Strauss called Emily down to her office.

"Who do you think you are?" the principal asked as soon as Emily walked into her office.

"Excuse me?"

"You've only been a part of this school for a few months and you turn it upside down?" Strauss asked harshly.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Emily said, her voice full of attitude, "but I don't understand why you've called me here."

"Yesterday Haley Brooks came in here crying and told me you stole her boyfriend."

Emily's mouth fell open. "Since when is it the principal's job to deal with the relationships of the students?"

"Haley is a sweet girl." Emily snorted in disbelief. "You have no right to mess with my school."

"How did we get from Haley Brooks being a sweet girl to me 'messing' with your school?"

"If it were up to me, I would expel you right now."

"For what?" Emily yelled. "I've done nothing wrong! It is just insane!" _No principal talks like this, _she added in her head.

"Sure, you may not have done anything bad according to the actual school rules, but in my book you won't listen to the rules of high school."

Emily thought this whole thing was just plain stupid. She listened to Strauss drone on about how she was an ungrateful teenager. Eventually she was allowed to leave, but that was after Emily picked up on one important thing: Strauss _really _didn't like her and her friends.

And now she didn't like Aaron.

Most of the teachers even began to side with Strauss and would glare at Emily and her friends. The 0nly teachers who didn't alienate them were Rossi and Gideon.

Gideon of course loved the group, especially Spencer. He had taken a liking to Penelope when they introduced her to him, though he thought she was a bit odd.

He thought Strauss was being incredibly stupid, and he allowed the teens to hang out in his classroom during their various free periods. They learned a lot from him, and it was clear Spencer was happy to have someone to talk to.

As for Rossi, he had made it abundantly clear that he would support Aaron through whatever. He was happy as long as Aaron was happy. Aaron introduced his new friends, and Rossi immediately liked them all. He thought Emily was a sweet girl, and if he had to choose, he liked her more than he liked Haley.

Rossi had one day called them "a team" as a joke, but it became much more than that. They liked it and felt it described them perfectly: They were a team of teenagers against the whole school. From then on, they were a team.

Now that they had a kind of name, they needed to celebrate that in addition to Aaron and Emily getting together. As soon as Derek planted the idea in Penelope's head, she went berserk thinking of something to do.

"We need a party!" she said at lunch on Thursday. "This weekend if possible."

"Em and I were going to go on a date," Aaron replied slowly. "But we can still celebrate on Friday."

"Perfect!" Penelope clapped her hands together. "Come to my house tomorrow night, and we will celebrate."

Friday night came and the team went to Penelope's house at seven o'clock. Aaron wasn't sure what to expect, though he was still very excited. He drove Emily there and had reached the house the same time Derek and Spencer did.

"Hey, you two lovebirds," Derek called as they walked up the front walk. He enjoyed teasing them about their relationship.

Aaron raised his fist to knock on the door when it flew open. Penelope was there dressed in a casual yellow dress.

"Hello, my lovelies!" she cried as she ushered them inside. Her parents and brothers weren't home, so they had the place to themselves. She had strung up Christmas lights around her living room and set out bowls of chips. Music was coming from an iPod dock in the corner, and her couch had been pushed back to make a small dancing area.

"Wow. Pen, you've really outdone yourself," Emily said in awe.

"It's hard to believe that this is only for five people," Spencer agreed.

"Nothing but the best for my best friends," Penelope said with a smile.

They spent the rest of the night laughing, dancing, and eating. Derek and Penelope were constantly getting Emily and Aaron to kiss while Spencer just laughed. Penelope started playing a slow song halfway through the night, prompting Aaron to take Emily into his arms and hold her close. Derek danced with Penelope for half the song, and then she danced with Spencer. He tried to get out of it with no luck. She held him too tightly and prevented him from running away.

Aaron never had that much fun at any of the parties thrown by the jocks. At those parties it was like he was only there to be shown off by Haley. Here he was laughing and dancing with his friends like there was no tomorrow.

But there was a tomorrow, and it was the day of his first date with Emily. All week he had been racking his brain trying to think of the perfect thing to do. He had gotten so desperate, he asked Penelope for help.

"Well, you need to take her some place special, but not too fancy," she said confidentially.

"Why not too fancy?"

"She doesn't like a lot of fuss," she replied, clearly happy that he was asking her advice. "You know, she's never had the traditional date."

"The traditional date?" he asked dumbly.

"You know, dinner and a movie! You should take her to her favorite Chinese restaurant across town and then go see a movie at that new movie theater."

Aaron thought that was a great idea, and so he picked Emily up at six o'clock on Saturday. When he knocked on the door, he was surprised to see Mr. Prentiss answer the door. He had never met Emily's father before.

He heard feet rushing down the stairs and saw Emily hurry down. It was clear she had tried to get to the door before her dad.

"Mr. Prentiss," Aaron started. He prided himself on having good manners, and he wasn't about to forget them. "I'm Aaron Hotchner."

"Nice to meet you, Aaron," Mr. Prentiss said offering his hand. Aaron shook it quickly.

"Great, you two have met," Emily said rapidly. She pulled on a jacket and tried to squeeze past her father. "Let's go, Aaron."

"But I want to talk to him," Mr. Prentiss said in a tone that suggested it was not the first time this had been brought up.

"Daddyyyy," Emily whined.

"It's okay," Aaron said softly. He made eye contact with his girlfriend's father. "If you want to ask me anything, go ahead."

Mr. Prentiss seemed surprised, but he quickly composed himself. "How are your grades?"

"All As, sir."

"Any sports?"

"I played football in the fall."

"Future plans?"

Emily groaned.

"I haven't heard back from any colleges, but I don't think anyone has. I have applied to quite a few though."

Mr. Prentiss opened his mouth once again, but Emily grabbed Aaron's arm. "We really have to go. Bye Dad!" She dragged him to his car as he said goodbye to her dad over his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry," she moaned as he pulled out of her driveway.

"Don't be. It's understandable that he would want to make sure I'm not some hooligan."

She chuckled. "Well, I managed to stop him before he asked you about what you were planning to do after college. I didn't think you knew."

That was true. Aaron really didn't know what he wanted to do with his life. He had always considered being a lawyer like his dad, but all the Psychology classes were making him consider profiling like Gideon. It sounded really interesting.

"Thank you," he said gratefully.

"Anytime."

They fell into an easy conversation on the way to the movies, and Aaron was reminded of how lucky he was to have her.

_And we've only been dating for a week, _he thought in amusement.

When they reached the theater, Aaron jumped out of the car and opened Emily's door for her.

"Oh, thank you," she said in surprise. "You're such a gentleman."

He kissed her on the cheek. "Guilty as charged."

Emily giggled and slipped her hand into his. They walked inside to the box office. Aaron dug out a few bills out of his pocket.

"What are you doing?" Emily asked.

"I'm taking my girlfriend on a date and buying her ticket for her," he replied. She blushed and kissed him on the cheek.

"So what do you want to see?" he stammered. He still couldn't get over the fact that she was his girlfriend. It was a very happy thought.

"Well, there is that new action spy movie," she suggested. He raised his eyebrows.

"You want to see that?"

She furrowed her eyebrows. "Yeah. Is that a problem?"

"No, no," he said quickly. "Not at all. I'm just used to Haley dragging me to all the romantic comedies."

Emily gave him a saucy look. "You need to learn that I am not Haley."

He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. "I know."

Aaron bought the tickets and their bags of popcorn, and they made their way to the theater. The movie had already been out for several weeks, so the place was almost empty. Emily led the way up to the back of the theater and settled into a seat.

"So you like the back?" Aaron asked as he sat down next to her.

She shrugged. "It's more private." He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"Private, huh? What do need privacy for? You planning on seducing me?"

Emily's face flushed a bright red that he could see clearly through the darkness. "N-No!" she stuttered. Aaron burst out laughing.

"I know, I know. I was just messing with you," he said with a wink. She smacked him on the arm.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For being a smart-ass."

All he had to do was flash her a puppy-eyed look and he was forgiven. She gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"Is that it?" he asked in disappointment.

Emily laughed. "Down boy. Just watch the movie."

About halfway through the movie Aaron made his move. He slipped his arm around her and pulled her against him as best as he could with the armrest between them. Emily got the hint and rested her head on his shoulder. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

During the movie's climax Aaron tilted Emily's head up with his fingers and pressed a light kiss to her lips. She sat up a bit so she could kiss him more firmly.

The movie was promptly forgotten.

After the movie, Aaron drove to her favorite restaurant just like Penelope suggested. He had already made reservations, so they were escorted to their table right away.

"You really know how to make a girl feel special," Emily remarked as they sat down.

"You are special," he replied with a shrug. She blushed.

"Why me?" Her voice was so quiet he might have missed it had he not seen her lips move.

"What?"

She raised her eyes to meet his. "Why do you want to be with me? You could have any girl in the school, and you choose me. I don't get it."

He sighed. "I thought we went through this." He reached across the table and grasped her hand. "Emily, you are the prettiest, smartest, funniest girl I have ever met. Any guy would be lucky to have you, and I'm the luckiest guy in the world to be dating you."

"But what about Haley? You obviously thought she was pre-"

"Stop. Don't even mention Haley. You are nothing like her, and there's no comparison. I don't have any feelings for her anymore, only for you."

She bit her lip. "Really?"

He chuckled. "Yes, really." He squeezed her hand, and she sighed in relief.

"I'm sorry if I seem insecure, but you have to understand that I've never been with a guy as sweet as you. As amazing as you."

"That can't be true," he said softly rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand.

"It is," she said with a guilty laugh. "All the guys I've dated were assholes."

"Then all the decent guys are idiots for ignoring you," Aaron declared.

"If they didn't I may not be with you," Emily pointed out.

"Please," he snorted. "I would crush them all so you would be all mine."

Emily giggled. "No, you wouldn't."

He raised his eyebrows. "No, I think I would."

"There would be no competition," she said firmly quoting him from earlier. "I only have feeling for you."

Now it was his turn to blush and avert his eyes. She laughed hysterically.

"Are you blushing?" she asked in disbelief.

"No," he lied though it was pointless. Then he frowned. "You can't laugh at me for blushing when you do it all the time!"

"Sorry," she said as she tried to school her features into an understanding look. "I love it when you blush."

He could feel the heat creep up his face once again.

They enjoyed their dinner, and all too soon Aaron was driving Emily home. He sighed as he pulled into her driveway.

"Don't," she said when he tried to unbuckle his seat belt.

"Why?"

"You don't need to walk me to the door," she tried.

"You just don't want me to talk to your dad again," he said with a grin.

"No! Okay, maybe, but do you really want to be questioned on your entire life?" she asked desperately.

"I just want to make a good impression."

She kissed him on the cheek. "You did. You made it past the first question, and you surprised him by shaking his hand. You've done great."

Aaron sighed. "Alright. If you don't want me to, I won't. Just don't tell your dad I didn't come in because I was avoiding him."

"I won't. Besides, there's another reason as to why I don't want you to come to the door."

"Why?" He could barely get the word out of his mouth before Emily kissed him passionately. Her hands intertwined themselves in his hair as he ran his hands up her sides and back. He began to kiss her neck when she stopped him.

"We're less than thirty feet from my dad."

Aaron groaned but sat back nonetheless. Emily gave him one last kiss before getting out of the car.

"I had a great time," she said earnestly. A smile appeared on his face.

"Me too." She stepped away from the car reluctantly.

"Goodnight, Aaron," she called as she walked up the front walkway. He watched her disappear inside the house after waving goodbye.

"Goodnight, Emily."

**So what did you think? :) Please let me know and leave a review! :) :)**


	32. Welcome JJ?

**A/N: We reach another milestone! I'm sorry if this seems sudden, but I need to keep the story moving. Enjoy, and please leave a review at the end!**

BAU High School

Chapter 32: Welcome… JJ?

Before long, it was the middle of January, and the school had adjusted to the major social ladder change that had occurred a few weeks ago. While Aaron was hated from the top of the food chain, he was now respected a bit more from the bottom. The team was picked on now more than ever, but they didn't really care too much. After all, they had each other and they were happy with that.

The person who endured the most ridicule was Spencer. The jocks seemed to take sick pleasure in hurting that boy as much as possible. They would shove him against lockers and knock his books out of his hands. Someone even pulled his pants down in the middle of the hallway.

Aaron and Derek took these attacks personally and would stand up for him whenever they were around. Unfortunately, the jocks had picked up on that and had begun to strike when the older boys weren't around.

The worst was Will LaMontange. Ever since Aaron had chosen the team over him, he had replaced him as the Big Man on Campus. That also meant JJ was now the most popular girl, which displeased Haley a lot.

JJ didn't like it either. She hated being treated like some trophy, and that was exactly how Will treated her. He would constantly show her off to his friends and shove his tongue down her throat in public.

To be honest, JJ was jealous of Emily in this respect. It was clear she was happy in her relationship and that Aaron treated her like she was a queen.

Actually, JJ was jealous of _all _of them. She never thought she would admit it, but she actually craved what they had. It must have been building for ages, but all it took was one night to cause these feelings to surface.

It was near the end of January and there was a pep rally for all the winter sports. After the rally would be a big home basketball game, and of course, JJ was expected to go as Will's girlfriend. Will wasn't even on the team, but he wanted to go to establish themselves as the biggest couple.

In JJ's opinion, Will's ego had gotten a whole lot bigger ever since Aaron left the group. He seemed way too happy to become the most popular boy in school, and the fact that he lost his best friend didn't seem to affect him.

Anyway, they were currently at the basketball game sitting along the top row of the bleachers. To Will's left were all the jocks, and to JJ's right were all the popular girls. Haley sat to her immediate right.

Haley still hadn't recovered from her break up with Aaron. At least, JJ knew that. Haley refused to show any kind of weakness, and showing that she was upset counted as a weakness. To everyone else, Haley was just like she usually was, only she was a little meaner and she flirted with guys more. She even attempted to start a rumor saying _she_ was the one who broke up with Aaron, but not many people believed it.

By halftime JJ was ready to slam her head into the gym wall. She preferred football over basketball, and this game was dragging on forever. It didn't help that Haley was whispering snide comments into her ear every five minutes or that Will was running his hand up her leg repeatedly.

She really wanted to text Aaron to see what he was up to, but Will and Haley would get pissed if they saw her do that. Besides, JJ knew he was with his new friends, and she didn't want to make it seem like she wished she were with them.

During halftime Will stood up and stretched. He reached down and pulled JJ up by her hand.

"What?" she asked irritably. He pulled her in for a kiss.

"I want food," he said when he stepped back. "Come with me."

She couldn't think of anything better to do, so she dutifully followed him down the bleachers. Will extended his hand when they reached the bottom, and she grabbed it mechanically. They walked out of the gym and over to the line for concessions.

"I'll be right back," she said giving his hand a squeeze. Will raised his eyebrows.

"Bathroom," she said in an exasperated voice. He nodded, and JJ felt a wave of anger seep through her. She stomped off to the ladies room.

She got talking with a girl from the soccer team and didn't return to the concession stand until fifteen minutes had passed.

_Will is gonna be pissed, _she thought in annoyance as she scanned the crowded hallway. _That is, if I can find him. _

Her boyfriend was nowhere in sight. She craned her neck left and right with no luck.

_Maybe he went to the bathroom himself. Or maybe he just went to make sure I wasn't going to run off._ She headed back the way she came and passed a side hallway that led to the computer lab. As she walked by she could hear distinct giggling.

JJ frowned. She knew that giggle. Backing up a few steps, JJ pressed her back against the wall, her head turned to the hallway. The mystery girl giggled again.

"Oh, Will," JJ heard the tramp murmur. JJ's fist clenched.

"I can't believe you!" she yelled as she stepped into the hallway. Haley and Will were standing there, their mouths falling open in shock. Haley was pressed up against the wall, and Will had his hands around her waist.

"JJ, wait," Will said stepping away from Haley. "I can explain."

"I'm sure you can," JJ said bitterly. She glared at Haley. "You're supposed to be my best friend. How could you?"

"JJ," Haley whispered. She put a heartbroken look on her face. "I'm so sorry. I was coming to find you when Will shoved me against the wall and started kissing me."

"_Stop lyin_g!" JJ hissed. "I heard you. You sounded like you wanted it." She blinked away tears and tried to regain some composure. "How long?"

"What?" the lying couple asked in unison.

"How long? Don't try and tell me that this just happened now because I know better."

Now that she knew the game was up, Haley leaned back against the wall casually and allowed a victorious look cross her face. "Since the day Aaron broke up with me and you left school early."

JJ's mouth fell open. "You bitch."

Now Haley's mouth fell open. "I'm your best friend!"

"Not anymore. Best friends don't do this to each other." She looked at Will. "Boyfriends don't do this to their girlfriends either."

"Babe, come on," Will started to say. JJ held up her hand.

"Stop. Don't babe me because we're done."

"WHAT?" Will bellowed.

"You heard me," JJ said calmly. "I'm sick of you. Go ahead and make out with Haley. I don't care." She turned and left the hallway, keeping her head down so people couldn't see the tears slowly falling from her eyes.

Once she was passed the main area where the patrons for the game were, she started running. She ran out the school doors into the freezing January air. Peering into the darkness, something hit her: she didn't have a ride. Will had driven her there, and she certainly wasn't going back inside to ask him to drive her home.

_I'll just walk, _she decided. _I don't live too far from here. _She had made it to the street when something else hit her: she didn't have a jacket. She had left hers in Will's car.

"Damn it!" she yelled aloud. This was just great. It was freezing and she didn't have a ride _or _a jacket. On top of that, her boyfriend- _ex_, she reminded herself- had been cheating on her with her ex-best friend.

Wrapping her arms around herself tightly, JJ put her head down and continued to walk. Eventually she would reach the pizza place where the different sports teams would go to after games. She could call her mom there.

She hadn't even been walking for five minutes when she spotted a car on her side of the road. Squinting in the darkness she quickly realized she recognized the car. It was Aaron's.

She almost started crying in relief before she noticed another car. It was sitting in the driveway of a modest white house.

_Isn't that Penelope Garcia's car? _JJ remembered laughing with Haley about it. The thought of her ex-best friend caused her stomach to twist painfully.

She stopped walking in front of the house's mailbox. This must be Emily Prentiss' house. That was the only explanation. The front window on the right of the door glowed with a warm light, and before she knew it JJ was in front of the window looking in. She made sure she wasn't too close though.

What she saw almost made her cry. Derek Morgan, Spencer Reid, Penelope, Aaron, and Emily all sat in a cozy living room watching a movie. Derek sat in a stuffed armchair facing the television. He was holding a small bowl of popcorn. Spencer and Penelope sat on the couch side by side with a large bowl of popcorn between them. Penelope was closest to Derek's chair, and she had her feet propped up on one of the arm rests.

Aaron and Emily sat on the floor with their backs up against the couch. He had his left arm around her, and she had her head on his chest. JJ watched as Aaron slowly ran his arm up and down Emily's arm and press a kiss to her head. Emily smiled and snuggled in closer.

JJ's chest constricted as she watched this happy sight. How was it that they could be so happy? What did they have that she didn't?

_True friendship, _a voice in her head told her.

She wasn't fully sure how she had gotten there, but next thing JJ knew she was standing on Emily's front porch and knocking on the door. She gulped as she heard muffled footsteps on the other side of the door.

It swung open, and there stood Emily. A look of confusion passed over her face before she realized it was JJ. Her face became a blank mask when she realized this.

"What do you want?" Emily asked trying to ignore how violently JJ was shivering. That would make her feel bad for the girl, and she couldn't allow that.

"Can I come in?" JJ's voice was no louder than a whisper. Her hands were shaking and her lips held a bluish tint.

Emily bit her lip. It was clear JJ was freezing, but Emily hadn't forgotten everything she had put her through. She opened her mouth to say something when she was cut off by someone else.

"Of course." Both girls looked up in surprise to see Aaron standing there with a concerned look on his face. Emily opened her mouth again, but Aaron gave her a warning look. She rolled her eyes slightly and stepped back.

"Come in," she said. Her voice was emotionless. Aaron put his hands on JJ's shoulders and steered her into the living room. Three pairs of wary eyes were watching her curiously. They didn't say anything.

Aaron guided JJ to the couch where Spencer made room for her. Grabbing a blanket off the back of the couch, Aaron wrapped it tightly around her.

"I'll drive you home after the movie," he said softly. He sat back down on the floor and looked at Emily, who was still standing in the doorway. The room was dead silent until Spencer spoke.

"Hi, JJ," he said timidly.

"Hey," she whispered. Derek and Penelope said nothing.

"Start the movie again," Aaron said gruffly. He shot Emily a pointed look, and she slowly walked into the room and took her seat next to him. Penelope pressed play on the DVD remote and the comedy they were watching started up again. It was almost like before JJ knocked on the door, only everyone was silent.

JJ didn't know why she was there. She didn't belong there, and it was clear they didn't want her there. Emily looked like she was going to make JJ walk in the unforgiving cold. The only reason she was there was because Aaron let her in. And while JJ was grateful for that, part of her didn't want to endure the awkwardness that surrounded the room now.

She tried to focus on the movie to no avail. Her mind kept going back to the moment she found Will and Haley in that damn hallway. She would be lying if she said she wasn't a little bit thrilled about her break up, but it still hurt like hell. She had been betrayed in the worst way possible, and it was impossible not to be upset about it.

It was almost like a window had been opened in her mind, and now she could see what she hadn't been able to before. She could now see with perfect clarity exactly how Haley operated. All she wanted was to be popular and in control. That was why she went after Will: She wanted to maintain her popular status, and not having a boyfriend ruined that. However, having an affair actually boosted it.

JJ almost laughed out loud. That was exactly what it was. An affair. They had been having an affair behind her back. Once she got over that realization, she pressed her hand against her mouth to prevent herself from sobbing. She glanced around the room to make sure no one was watching her. Thankfully no one was, except for Penelope. She was watching JJ from over Spencer's head. Her gaze held no malice or distrust, but sympathy. Penelope Garcia felt _bad _for her.

Suddenly JJ felt bad for every mean comment she had directed toward the other girl, and she ducked her head in shame. She lifted the blanket over her face and cried silently.

She didn't know how long she was under there, but eventually she felt someone tapping on her knee. Quickly wiping her eyes, she peered out from underneath the soft material. Spencer was watching her carefully.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly.

Clearing her throat, she gave a small nod. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Derek and Penelope were watching her warily, and JJ squirmed slightly under their gazes. To her relief, they didn't say anything mean to her. Instead, Derek patted Spencer on the back and nodded to the door.

"C'mon, kid, we're heading out." Spencer gave JJ a small smile and stood up. Penelope and Derek only nodded slightly at her before leaving. That left only her, Aaron, and Emily.

Emily frowned and busied herself with picking up the multiple bowls of popcorn. JJ felt another wave of guilt and quickly stood up.

"Let me help." Her voice was hoarse, but did not allow any argument. Emily just nodded stiffly and handed her the bowl Derek used. JJ followed Emily into the kitchen as Aaron turned off the DVD player.

JJ looked around the kitchen as she walked inside. It had a simple setup with an island in the center and a table at the far end. Emily was over by the sink loading the bowls into the dish washer. JJ hurried over and handed over the final dish.

The silence was killing her, and she felt the need to say something, only she didn't know what to say. She supposed she should thank Emily for letting her in.

"Thank you," JJ said softly. Emily froze and stared out the window above the sink.

"You should probably thank Aaron," she said tersely. "He's the one who let you in."

JJ hung her head, stung by Emily's words. _How ironic, _she thought. "You're right," she said aloud. "If it were up to you I would have continued to walk in the cold." It was very hard to keep the anger out of her voice.

"No," Emily said immediately. "I would have given you a jacket, or something." She had finally turned around to face JJ and was surprised to see the blonde girl smile at her words.

"Well, thank you for that then." The smile disappeared. "I know I don't deserve it."

"No, you don't," Emily said steadily.

Aaron came into the room at that moment pulling his jacket on. "Come on, JJ, I'll drive you home."

JJ allowed a tentative smile to appear on her face. She directed it toward Emily. "Thank you," she said again before walking out of the house.

Aaron turned to Emily. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Her voice was dripping sarcasm. "What did you do wrong? Please, tell me."

"Don't," he said. "I know you don't like her, but we couldn't just leave her out there in the cold. She's obviously had a bad night, and the looks you were all giving her didn't help."

"Oh, what, we're now supposed to feel bad for her?" Emily asked incredulously, her voice steadily getting louder. "Have you forgotten the way she treats us?"

"Have you forgotten the way I used to treat you?" he asked quietly. "I was just like her." Emily shook her head.

"You're different."

"But I wasn't always," he said earnestly, stepping forward. "I'm only different now because I changed, and I think JJ might be doing the same."

"You thought Haley could change," Emily pointed out. "She obviously hasn't. What makes JJ any different?"

"Did you see the way she looked tonight? She looked like her whole world had been flipped upside down. That's the way I felt when I joined you guys."

She bit her lip and averted her eyes. "This doesn't mean she's one of us now."

"I know." Aaron strode over and pulled his girlfriend into his arms. "But that doesn't mean we have to let her deal with this on her own."

Emily closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest. "I guess not."

He stepped back and kissed her quickly. "I have to go. I'll call you tomorrow." She only nodded as he left the house.

JJ was already sitting in the passenger seat of Aaron's truck. He put the key in the ignition and pulled away from the curb. They were silent for half the ride. He looked at her from the corner of his eye. She was crying again.

Sighing, he pulled the car to the side of the road and turned to face her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she sniffled. "Just keep going."

Aaron watched her closely before returning to the street. Five minutes later he was pulling into JJ's driveway.

"Thank you," she said, though she made no move to leave the car.

"JJ?"

She twisted her hands around in her lap. "Will cheated on me."

Aaron took a deep breath and leaned back in his seat. It hurt him to hear that his ex-best friend would do something like that. He didn't ask for the name of the girl because he knew JJ would tell him.

Sure enough, she whispered "It was with Haley." Her voice was shaky. Aaron's fist clenched and he resisted the urge to punch the window.

"Was it before…" his voice trailed off as he let the unspoken question hang in the air.

"No. It was the day of, right after you broke up with her." He just nodded.

"Look at us," she said. "At the beginning of this year we were the most popular kids in school, and we were a part of the school's two biggest couples."

"Now our significant others decided to get together," he said dryly staring out the windshield. "I don't want to imagine them together."

"It's going to be awful," she agreed before becoming silent for a minute. "I have nowhere to go."

"Huh?"

"I broke up with Will and told Haley we're no longer friends," she whispered in shock. "I'm a loner."

Aaron reached over and clasped JJ's hand. "No, you're not. You're more than welcome to sit with us while you figure things out."

She laughed bitterly. "They don't want me there."

"_I _want you there," he insisted. "You're my friend, and I'm here for you."

Her eyes were shining with tears when she looked up. "Thank you," she whispered.

Aaron smiled sadly. "Anytime."

**A/N 2: Thank you to all of your kind words so far! I'll try to reply to some of your comments soon! :)**


	33. The Aftermath

**A/N: Sorry for the longer wait! I realize that's not a whole long time compared to other authors, but I feel bad. =) Anyway, there's a longer A/N at the end. Happy reading!**

BAU High School

Chapter 33: The Aftermath

Saturday morning Penelope called Emily. She needed to see her friend's reaction to their unexpected visitor the night before.

"Do you know why she was walking in the cold?" Penelope asked. She found it odd that JJ had been all alone outside on a Friday night.

"Nope," Emily said. She was lying on her bed while talking to her friend. "I didn't think it would be good to pry about that."

"Probably not," Penelope agreed. "She looked like she had been crying."

Emily nodded even though she knew her friend couldn't see her. "Maybe Haley turned her wrath on JJ."

Penelope snorted. "Like that would ever happen." The two girls fell silent for a moment before Penelope spoke again. "So what does this mean?"

"Huh?"

"Is she, like, one of us now?"

"God, no," Emily said quickly. "The only reason she came inside was because Aaron invited her in. She is definitely _not_ friends with us."

"You were going to leave her out in the cold?" Penelope asked in horror.

"No! I would have given her a jacket, or let her call her parents. I'm not Haley."

"True," Penelope sighed. Then she frowned. "Hey, what if Haley _did_ turn her wrath on JJ?"

"So what if she did?" Emily asked lazily.

"Wouldn't that mean that she has no friends?"

Emily frowned. Her friend had a good point. "She has Aaron, I guess."

"And Aaron's friends with us. What if he invites her to hang out with us more?" The thought seriously frightened Penelope.

"He knows we want nothing to do with her," Emily insisted. "He just said we should be supportive of her so she won't go through anything alone."

Penelope rolled her eyes. "That sounds like something friends would do."

"We're not friends with her!" Emily cried. "We're basically enemies!"

Penelope murmured her agreement, though it did not sound very convincing. Both girls were curious about what was going to happen next with JJ.

"I'll call Aaron," Emily decided. "I'll just make sure he knows we don't want anything to do with her."

"Okay. Let me know what he says," Penelope said before she hung up. Emily took a deep breath and dialed her boyfriend's number. He picked up after the first ring.

"Hello?" Emily's heart thudded a little faster at the sound of his voice.

"Hey, Aaron, it's me." She began fiddling with a loose strand on her blanket.

"Hey, Em. Good morning." She could hear the smile in his face, though part of his happiness seemed forced.

"Morning. Is something wrong?"

Aaron closed his eyes. Of course she would know something was wrong with him even if she wasn't even in the same room as him. "No, nothing."

"I don't believe you."

He sighed. "JJ told me why she was walking all alone last night."

"Oh?" Emily said trying not to seem too curious. "And why was that?"

He sighed again. "Will cheated on her."

Emily felt a wave of sympathy she didn't want to feel. "Sucks for her, though I can't say I'm surprised." She paused for a second. "Sorry, I know he used to be your friend."

"Don't be," Aaron insisted. "I have better friends now."

She smiled at that, and then frowned. "Did she say who the slut was?"

He bit his lip before answering. "It was Haley."

Emily sucked her lips in to keep from laughing. It would be mean to laugh, but she sure wanted to. Haley's bitchiness had no boundaries, and Emily would be lying if she said she didn't find the situation ironic.

"Guess she isn't even nice to her best friend," she said instead. Then she froze. "Wait, did she cheat on _you_?"

"No. Well, not with Will. That started right after I broke up with her. She's hooked up with guys behind my back before."

Emily's heart broke a little. "God, Aaron, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," he said again. "I know you would never do that, and that's all that matters."

Emily smiled and hugged a pillow to her chest. It felt nice to be loved by such an amazing guy.

"So…" she said slowly. "What about JJ?"

"What about her?" asked Aaron distractedly.

"Well, she broke up with her boyfriend and best friend, right? Doesn't that mean she has nowhere to go?"

He remembered what he said the night before when JJ said the same exact thing. "Yeah, that's what it means, and I told her she could sit with us if she didn't have anyone else."

"You did _what_?" Emily cried leaping off her bed. She began to pace her room while biting her fingernail.

"Emily, she has _no one_ except for me, and I'm not about to turn my back on her," he said firmly.

"I get that, I do," she said desperately, "I just don't think our lunch table is the best place for her."

Aaron clenched the phone tightly in his hands. "Haley? Is that you?"

There was silence on the other end, and he immediately felt terrible.

"That's not fair," Emily finally said in a low voice. "You told me yourself I'm nothing like her."

"I know, and I'm sorry," Aaron said quickly. "It's just that for a second you sure seemed like her." He waited for a response, and when he got none he continued. "You're so much better than her, Em. You have a bigger heart, and I know that you don't turn people away in their time of need."

She sighed. "You're right, I guess. It's just…" She took a deep breath. "It's just I know she hates me, and whenever I see her all I can think about is everything she's done to hurt me."

Aaron's heart broke for his girlfriend. How could he have been so insensitive?

"Oh, Emily, I'm so sorry," he said earnestly. "I didn't think that part through."

"It's okay. You were just being a good friend." Emily took another deep breath before straightening up. "She can sit with us for awhile."

"Are you sure?" he asked nervously.

"It would be mean to send her away."

A small smile appeared on Aaron's face. "Thank you, Emily."

"Don't thank me yet," she warned. "I make no promises about the rest of the team. I know that Penelope's worried already about the possibility of JJ sitting with us."

"I'll make sure she's nice," he promised.

"I'll warn everyone else," she sighed, already dreading Monday.

* * *

><p>It took JJ all her might to get out of bed Monday morning. She wasn't the type to hide from the world when something hurt her, but this was her first day of being a loner. She already knew that Haley would have told all their friends that JJ was officially a loser and was to be left alone.<p>

JJ had never experienced a school day where she was without friends. Ever since she was a little girl, she had tons of friends. And now she had nobody.

She remembered Aaron's words from Friday night. _"You're my friend, and I'm here for you." _She was flattered by the gesture, but she knew his friends wouldn't want to be there for her. Still, it was nice to know she wasn't completely alone.

She had barely taken two steps inside the school to see that she was the school's new pariah. No one nodded or grinned at her, and girls who used to be her friend snickered as she walked by. She had to actually push through the crowded hallway instead of walking straight through.

After the fifth crowd of people, JJ was accidentally shoved from behind and began to fall to the ground. She was about to hit it before strong hands reached out and grabbed her.

"Get your hands off me, you little-" She stopped when she realized who her savior was. "Aaron."

The corners of his mouth twisted upward at her dumbfounded expression. "Well, hello to you too."

"Sorry," she said sheepishly. "I thought we were some random guy."

"Some random guy would've let you fall," he pointed out. "Oh, the joys of being the new social outcast."

She winced. It was always her and Haley who decided who the new outcasts were. "Is this what it was like for you?" After his and Haley's break up, they dubbed him the loser, though for JJ it was half-hearted.

He shrugged. "Eh, a little. I was never shoved to the ground."

JJ just nodded and started to walk down the hall. Aaron quickly followed.

"Hey, there's a seat open at my table today at lunch for you," he said kindly. Her head whipped around to face him.

"Are you serious?" She wasn't sure whether to yell at him or be grateful.

"Yes," he said simply, not acknowledging her shocked expression. "I talked to Emily, and she said it was fine that you sat with us for awhile."

She tilted her head. "Did she _really_ say that?"

"Yes," he said again. He decided not to tell her how long it took Emily to say that. "There's just one thing you have to do."

JJ let out an annoyed sigh. "What?"

"You have to be nice to them," Aaron said simply. "Otherwise you can't sit with us."

She took a deep breath and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Fine. I'll be the nicest person in the world."

He laughed as the warning bell rung. "I've got to go. I'll see you in History."

JJ's stomach dropped. "History. Right."

He frowned. "What's wrong with- Oh. I forgot." Will was in that class.

"Yeah," JJ said quietly.

"You can sit next to me and Derek," Aaron said kindly.

"Thanks," she muttered as she headed down the hallway to her English Literature class. How could she have forgotten that she would have to see her cheating ex in her second class? To make it worse, she had _both_ Chemistry and Calculus with Haley. She sighed in frustration. This day had hardly begun and it already sucked.

JJ slunk into English Lit with her head down. There were several cheerleaders in the back of the room. She used to sit with them, but obviously those days were gone.

Her head hung even lower when she heard them giggling. Was this what it felt like when she laughed at other people?

"JJ," a timid voice called. She lifted her head up to see Spencer giving her a shy smile from the front row. "You can sit here," he said kindly.

Normally she would have made some sarcastic comment back, but she was desperate and a little touched, so she took the seat next to him quickly.

"Thanks," she muttered. He just nodded.

For once, JJ was dreading History. Usually she liked the class because it was interesting and she could see her boyfriend. Now the thought of seeing him made her want to flee the school. She slowly walked to the classroom when the time came. Her stomach was churning.

The first thing she saw was Will flirting with several girls. He was, of course, at the back of the room with his friends. They were all egging him on. The girls were giggling incessantly at Will's countless attempts to get one of them to sit on his lap. JJ didn't know why they found it so amusing, but for some reason they did.

Will saw her walk in, and a smirk appeared on his face. "Hey, babe," he called. He knew she didn't want him to call her that anymore, but he wasn't going to listen.

"I'm not your babe, asshole," she spat. She quickly scanned the room and saw Aaron. He stood up the minute Will called her a babe.

"Shut up, Will," he said, putting on his most intimidating glare. Will rolled his eyes, though part of him looked a little unnerved.

"JJ, there's a seat over here for you," Aaron said, gesturing to an empty seat up front. Derek was watching her closely like he had Friday night.

She was getting tired of thanking him, so she just nodded her thanks and sat down. She was just going to ignore Derek, but then she remembered Aaron's condition from earlier.

_Be nice_, she told herself. She looked at the dark skinned boy and offered a tiny smile. He seemed surprised, but gave her a small nod nonetheless.

History dragged on forever, and hearing Will whisper in the back made it worse. Finally the bell rang and JJ sprung out of her seat. Derek left the room after saying bye to Aaron, leaving him with JJ. He glared at Will to make sure he wouldn't come over. When Will finally left the room with a blonde girl on his arm, Aaron turned to JJ.

"You're going to the library, right?"

"Yeah," she said softly, her stomach still churning after seeing Will with all those girls. It hurt her to see him move on so quickly, but then again, he had been the one to cheat.

Aaron could obviously sense her discomfort, so he gently nudged her arm and offered a small smile.

"Keep your head up. You're doing great so far." She felt yet another wave of gratitude toward the boy. This time last year they only make small talk now and then, but now he was guiding her through the toughest thing she'd ever gone through.

They walked in silence to the library, and Aaron held the door open for her when they reached it. She quickly started to walk to a table in the far corner. He sighed in defeat before walking to his and Emily's table. She was already there with Spencer.

"Hey, beautiful," he said tiredly giving her a quick kiss on the lips. He also said hello to Spencer.

"Where's JJ?" Spencer asked.

"She went off to the corner. I think she wants some time alone," said Aaron as he sat down next to Emily. Spencer nodded.

"That's understandable. She's faced a huge change in a short amount of time. It must be overwhelming."

"You sound like you feel sorry for her," Emily said roughly. Spencer blinked.

"Well, I do. Don't you?"

She dropped her eyes to her hands and began to pick at her nails before letting out a reluctant sigh.

"I guess I do. I mean, her boyfriend _and_ her best friend betrayed her. That's an awful thing for a girl to go through. I guess I just can't get over what she did to me."

Aaron covered her hands with his and gave them a gentle squeeze. "She's past that," he said softly.

"I certainly hope so," Emily said in a similar tone.

* * *

><p>JJ had never spent free period alone. Even if her closest friends weren't there she would text them all period, so she wasn't completely isolated. But now her phone taunted her as it sat in front of her on the table. She was trying her best to focus on her Chemistry notes in front of her to no avail. Her mind kept wandering away.<p>

Today had been enlightening for her, and it wasn't even halfway done. She had always been on the other side of the teasing, but now she was actually the person being teased. Girls she used to consider friends were laughing at her behind her back and "accidentally" shoving her around.

_What did I do? _She thought miserably. _What did I do to deserve all this?_

If she was some kind of spiritual person she could claim it was karma, but she didn't want to fully admit that. That would just prove that she had been a terrible person.

_But I am a terrible person, _she realized. _It's too late to say I'm not._

Laughing from the other side of the vast room pulled her from her thoughts. Her first thought was someone was laughing at her until she realized she recognized the laugh. Slowly turning her head, she saw Aaron, Emily, and Spencer laughing hysterically at something Emily said.

Once again JJ was struck with a feeling of jealousy. She missed having friends she laugh with like that. She missed having someone to go to when something great happened to her. Sure, she had only been friendless for a few days, but it had been ages since she went to Haley about something like passing her English Lit quiz.

_Be nice, _Aaron had said. That was all she had to do to stay with him and his friends. Granted, they wouldn't love her at first, but if she was nice, maybe a friendship would grow. After all, it did for Aaron.

_I want this, _she thought. _I actually want to be friends with them. And when I want something, I get it._

The bell rang, signaling the end of third period. JJ stood up slowly and began to tentatively walk over to Aaron and his friends.

_I'm going to apologize for everything I've done, _she vowed. _I'm going to make them see I'm serious about changing._

Spencer was the first person to see her. "JJ. Hi."

"Hey, Spencer," she said with a smile. "Hey, Aaron." She took a deep breath and said, "Hello, Emily."

Emily pulled herself up to her full height and gave a terse nod. "JJ."

Aaron gently nudged his girlfriend and whispered, "Be nice." He turned to JJ and said, "Ready for lunch?"

"As I'll ever be," she joked. Unfortunately, that seemed to make Emily angry. Spencer sensed this and quickly started talking about school lunch customs in Europe. That seemed to distract her as the four of them walked to the lunch room, though she still had her jaw clenched.

Upon entering the cafeteria, JJ immediately saw Haley and Will sitting at their usual table. It looked like Will couldn't keep his hands off of her, and JJ had the overwhelming urge to puke. Aaron didn't seem too happy either.

"Just keep walking," Spencer coaxed gently. The two of them tore their gazes away from their exes and walked to their table.

JJ could feel everyone's eyes on her as she approached her new table. She could hear Haley snickering from several feet away. Whispers slowly filled the room, not unlike the day Aaron broke up with Haley. Holding her head as high as she could, she kept her eyes on the table in front of her where Derek and Penelope already sat. They were watching her warily like that had last weekend. She couldn't wait to change that.

When she finally sat down, the whole cafeteria began to talk again, though the team's table was silent. They all stared at JJ.

Aaron cleared his throat. "Derek, Penelope, how's your Monday going?" He was desperate to ease the obvious tension.

A small conversation begun, but JJ remained quiet. She wanted to talk with them, but she still needed to get some things out of the way.

She cleared her throat like Aaron had done and waited for all the eyes to turn to her. Emily looked angry at how JJ got their attention, Spencer looked curious, and Penelope looked scared. Derek crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back slightly. Aaron remained expressionless.

"I have something to say."

**A/N 2: OOOO cliffie! Okay, not really. Anyway, this chapter took me awhile between a little bit of writer's block and mind-blowing season finales (cough cough NCIS and Criminal Minds cough cough). Speaking of NCIS and CM, is there anyone else who wishes CBS would do a crossover? Because I really do. If anyone made a petition or something, I would sign it LOL. My next story after this one will be a NCIS/CM crossover, if anyone is interested.**

**Wasn't the CM finale AMAZING? I won't say anything for those who haven't seen it, but I loved it.**

**Please leave a review! =) **


	34. It's A Start

BAU High School

Chapter 34: It's A Start 

"I have something to say," JJ said shakily. She had to do this right now or she would lose her nerve, though it seemed like as soon as everyone gave her their attention she lost it.

"JJ?" Aaron prompted when she said nothing else. He wanted to make her comfortable.

"We're waiting," Emily said icily. She was trying to be civil, but the girl had clearedher throat like some princess!

JJ took a deep breath and sat up straight. "First of all, thank you for letting me sit here. I know you don't like me, and I can be a bitch, but I _really_ appreciate it." The group was taken aback by her sincerity. She seemed genuine.

"Second, and this is the most important part, I wanted to say I'm sorry." She watched Penelope's mouth drop, Derek's eyebrows rise, and Emily's eyes widen. Spencer cracked a small smile, and Aaron's face softened.

"I am incredibly sorry for everything I've done to you guys. None of you deserved any of it, and I'm sure you're all amazing people. I was a bitch and a terrible person. I never realized how much I hurt people until I was the one getting hurt. It sucks. And I know that just saying 'I'm sorry' doesn't change anything, but please know I really mean it. I will do everything I can to make it up to all of you."

She fell silent after her little speech, and dropped her eyes to the table. Everyone was quiet until Penelope spoke.

"You're right, it doesn't change anything." She smiled at JJ. "But I suppose it's a start."

JJ smiled gratefully at the other girl. "I'm sorry for every mean comment I directed to you. Your style is amazing, and I love all of your colorful outfits."

"There's no need to go crazy on the apologies, sweetie," Penelope said kindly.

"Yes, there is," Derek objected. "I like hearing the mighty Jennifer Jareau beg for forgiveness."

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen," Emily said sardonically. Penelope hit Derek on the arm.

"Be nice! You too, Emily!"

"Why is everyone telling me that?" Emily cried. "I'm trying!"

"Not a whole lot," Aaron said softly but firmly. "Please, Em?"

"Aaron, stop," said JJ. "She doesn't have to be nice to me. None of you do. I don't deserve your kindness."

Emily looked surprised. She would have thought JJ would be mean right back. She certainly didn't expect her to accept Emily's harsh behavior. With a quick glance at her boyfriend, Emily cleared her throat.

"No, you really don't. But," she took a deep breath, "Pen's right. It's a start."

Derek and JJ's mouths both fell open.

"You don't have to be so quick about it," JJ said in awe before she was cut off by Derek.

"There you go again, trusting someone who's hurt you before!" he hissed.

"Hold it!" Emily said holding her hands up. "One, I don't trust her. I'm just willing to give her a chance. Two, if I hadn't trusted the other person who hurt me, I wouldn't be with Aaron, and he wouldn't be here." She squeezed her boyfriend's hand and received a shy smile in return.

"She's right, you know," Spencer put in softly. "Hotch wouldn't be friends with us."

JJ was _so _not used to hearing "Hotch."

Derek sighed reluctantly. "Fine. You're right." He looked at JJ. "If you hurt any of us, you're gone."

"I understand," she said quickly.

"And you have to call Aaron Hotch," he added looking gleeful. He was eager to see how the former popular girl would take this condition.

She turned to Aaron, who was now grinning. The rest of the team began to smile as well.

"I guess there's one thing left to say," she said with a slight giggle. "Emily, congratulations on getting together with… Hotch." She outright laughed now, and the team joined her. "You're really cute together."

"Thanks," Emily laughed. She still felt a tad bit uneasy, but it was clear JJ was going to try to make an effort, so why shouldn't she?

"So, JJ," Penelope said leaning forward. She was ready to welcome the former mean girl into their group of misfits. "What do you like to do for fun?"

"Fun?" JJ said blankly. "What do you mean?"

"What do you do in your spare time?" Spencer supplied.

"Oh. Uh…" She frowned as she tried to think of her favorite activities. She liked soccer, but that was in the fall. Homework certainly did _not _count as fun…

_Why is this so hard? _She thought. All her spare time had been spent with either Will or Haley. They did a lot together, but now that JJ thought about it, they would always do what Haley wanted. JJ was never allowed to follow her own passions.

"Well, this is going to sound incredibly pathetic, but I don't know."

"How can you not know?" Derek asked quizzically.

"Everything I used to do was because Haley wanted to," she said nervously. She waited to see how the group reacted to the girl's name. The table fell silent for a moment before Aaron spoke.

"That's just how she is, right?"His voice was tight, and his jaw was clenched. Emily grasped his hand and kissed him on the cheek. He visibly relaxed, and JJ knew he was upset about Haley and Will being together.

"I'm sorry I brought it up," JJ said quietly.

"Don't be," Emily said, surprising JJ. "She's not worth an apology."

This was a test. Emily was curious to see how JJ would react to her comment. Just because she was going to be nice didn't mean she couldn't make sure the girl's intentions were pure.

JJ knew what Emily was trying to do. She sat up straight and said, "You're right. She's a complete bitch."

Everyone was surprised by how steadily JJ said it, though no one was more surprised than Emily.

_Huh, _she thought. _I guess she really is serious about changing the person she is._

Emily nodded and said, "I'm sorry about what she did to you."

JJ blinked. "Uh, thanks, I guess."

The bell rang, and the team stood up to go to their respective classes. As it was, Penelope and JJ had Calculus together. The team began to make their way out the cafeteria doors, but JJ hung back a bit. It was clear the group wasn't completely comfortable with her yet, but they were willing to try, and she was grateful for that. However, that didn't mean she still didn't feel bad for hurting them all in the past.

Penelope saw JJ fall behind them and slowed down until they were walking next to each other.

"Hi," Penelope said tentatively.

"Hey."

"Why are you walking back here?"

JJ bit her lip. "I've already invaded your lunch table. I'm not about to ruin your last few moments together before class."

"Don't be silly," Penelope admonished. "You need friends right now, and we are going to fill that gap."

"Why? Why are you so ready to help me? I've been nothing but awful to you the entire time we've known each other, but now that I have no friends I come running. You should be turning me away and letting me see what it's like."

"No," Penelope said softly. "That would make me just like Haley and those other girls. No one should be without someone to lean on when things get tough. If I turned you away, you would have nobody." She paused briefly. "Well, maybe Aaron."

JJ laughed quietly. "Yeah. He's like a big brother now."

"Then I could be a big sister. Look, I know you may not want to accept help from someone like me, but you need it. And I just want to let you know that I'm here for you if you want to talk or something."

JJ was taken aback by Penelope's kindness, and she could feel tears spring up in her eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered. "You have no idea how wonderful that sounds."

Penelope smiled. "I can guess."

* * *

><p>"I just have to talk to Rossi before we leave," Aaron told Emily as they left the Psychology room at the end of the day. Derek and Spencer already walked off.<p>

"That's fine. What do you have to talk to him about?" she asked curiously.

"He wants me to help with some plays for next year, but we haven't found time yet, so I need to go tell him when I'm free," he replied with a modest shrug.

"Huh," Emily chuckled. "You haven't even left the school, and they already want you back."

Aaron blushed slightly. "Rossi just says I'm the best strategic planner. Besides, it's only him that wants me back. Strauss hates me now."

"True," Emily sighed. "She hates our whole group."

Aaron slid his hand into hers and smiled faintly. "It's kinda fun. Being against the principal, I mean."

"Wow, someone's turning into a rebel. Maybe I_ am_ a bad influence."

He kissed her on the cheek. "Never. If anything, you've made me a better person." Emily blushed madly at his confession, and he smiled when he saw the red tint creep up her face.

They walked down to Rossi's office by the locker rooms only to discover he wasn't there. A coffee cup sat on his desk, and it was still steaming, which meant he would be back.

"Maybe he went to the teacher's lounge," Emily suggested.

"Maybe. I'll go check. Stay here in case he comes back." She nodded, and he walked back the way they came.

Now alone, Emily began to walk around the small office. The desk was covered in papers and folders, though she could see a picture frame sitting in one corner. Aaron told her it was of Rossi's wife Carolyn.

Behind the desk was a bookcase filled with books and plaques. Most of them were awards for coaching and teaching.

Emily ran her hands along the spines of several books and jumped back when she heard a voice behind her.

"Not all of those are about football, you know," Rossi teased as he stepped into the office. Emily quickly ran around the desk.

"Sorry," she said quickly.

"Don't be," the older man said good-naturedly. "Is there a reason for your visit?"

"Uh, Aaron was looking for you. He told me to wait here if you were to come back."

"Then I guess we will have to wait for him, won't we?" Rossi settled into his desk chair before gesturing to the chair in front of the desk. "You can sit down if you want."

Blushing slightly, she took a seat while picking at her nails. Her mind began to travel elsewhere, and Rossi knew it.

"What's bothering you?" he asked quietly. Emily looked up in surprise.

"What?" she asked blankly. Rossi smiled.

"You seem distracted."

She sighed before answering. "Do you know Jennifer Jareau?"

"JJ?" he asked in confusion. "Yeah, I know her. Why?"

"Well," Emily said slowly, "She's had a falling out with her best friend, so she has no one to hang out with."

"She and Haley had a fight?" the coach mused. "What about?"

"Nothing important. What's important is now Aaron has invited her to sit with us so she won't feel alone."

"And you don't like that," said Rossi, now understanding why the girl was upset.

"It's not that. Okay, maybe it is." She put her elbow on the arm rest and sat her forehead against her hand. "Normally I would be all for welcoming someone new to the group, but this is _JJ_. She's hurt me before, and I know she hates us."

"And you're afraid of you or your friends getting hurt."

Emily bit her lip. "Yeah. She _seems_ genuine, but how can I know for sure?"

Rossi smiled sadly. "I'm afraid the only thing you can do is try to be there for her. If it turns out she's still mean, you won't know for sure if you alienate her."

Emily sighed. "I guess you're right."

"When you said she seemed genuine, what did she do?" asked Rossi.

"She apologized and said she would try to earn our trust," she answered softly.

"Then I think you should give her a chance. Plus, your boyfriend likes her, right?"

"They're basically best friends," Emily muttered.

"And you trust him, right?"

"Of course I do."

"Then I think you have your answer about this whole situation." Rossi sat back in his chair and smiled at Emily. "It really comes down to what you actually do about it."

Emily licked her lips before nodding. "I'll give her a chance, and I'll try to be nicer to her." She smiled gratefully at the coach. "Thank you."

"Anytime, Emily. My door is always open." He really did like her.

"Oh, hey, Coach," a voice said behind them. Aaron was standing in the doorway with a small grin on his face. "Guess I finally found you."

"That you did, Aaron," Rossi replied with a smile. "I know you're not free now, so how about tomorrow for those plays?"

"Sounds great. See you then." Emily stood up and joined her boyfriend in the doorway.

"Bye, Rossi," she said. "And thanks again."

"You're welcome, kiddo."

She smiled again before leaving the office. Aaron turned and looked at his former coach.

"Thank you," he said softly. He overheard the last part of their conversation, and he was immensely grateful that Emily was going to give JJ a chance.

"Of course. You know that applies to you too."

"What does?"

Rossi smiled broadly. "My door is always open."

Aaron's dimples appeared as he grinned back. "I know."

**A/N: Thank you for all your feedback so far, and please keep it coming! I love hearing from you! =)**


	35. Finally Becoming Friends

**A/N: I am soooooosoooooosoooosoo sorry for the wait! My computer died last week, and I had to wait for the new one, plus I had to transfer all my documents onto the new computer. But it's all fixed and good and here's the next chapter. Thank you to all my reviewers, espicially the ones that begged for a new chapter. Thanks for being so patient, and please enjoy!**

BAU High School

Chapter 35: Finally Becoming Friends

As the days passed by, the team had begun to slowly become accustomed to their latest member. They were definitely a bit friendlier, though they were still a bit wary.

Spencer and Penelope welcomed JJ with open arms. It was obvious Spencer would because of their study sessions, but everyone was surprised at how close JJ and Penelope had become. JJ preferred to sit next to Penelope at lunch, and they were constantly laughing together.

Aaron was just happy to see JJ fit in with his friends. He was the most understanding, of course. It helped that he had been through the same exact thing a few months ago.

Emily and Derek were the people who were the most cautious. They were still very nice, but it was clear they weren't best friends with the former mean girl. Derek teased her every now and then, though not to the extent as he did with Emily.

Emily was trying her best to make nice, but JJ was also cautious of Emily. Both girls had exchanged some pretty harsh words in the past, and they weren't about to forget.

If anything, the girls were impossibly polite to each other. They would exchange small smiles and quietly compliment the other girl on her shirt, but they weren't close. Far from it.

Aaron knew it as well. It hurt him to see his girlfriend and his best girl friend tiptoe around each other, but he knew there wasn't much he could do. Talking to either of them didn't help.

"You know, JJ isn't going to bite you," he told Emily one day after school while they were at his house. "You could sit with her if you wanted to."

"She sits next to Pen," said Emily. Part of her actually _did _want to sit with JJ so she could get to know her, but she didn't want to push.

"Just ask her," Aaron pressed. "I know you want to."

She let out a frustrated sigh. Of course he knew. He knew her better than anyone else.

"We'll see," she said instead. Aaron knew this conversation for over, so he started a new one.

"So Valentine's Day is coming up," he said slowly, running his hand up and down her arm. They were both curled up on his couch in the living room. Emily leaned in closer at Aaron's touch.

"Yeah, it is." She craned her neck to look at him. "What were you thinking?"

He kissed her gently before answering. "Why would I tell you that? It ruins the surprise."

"Oh, it does, does it?" She let out an exaggerated sigh. "Why can't you just tell me?"

"That would be no fun," he said simply.

In response to that, Emily sat up and scooted over to the other side of the couch.

"What's that for?" Aaron whined.

"You won't tell me."

"Fine. Be that way." He turned away from her and faced the television.

_Damn it_, she thought. He could be impossibly stubborn when he wanted to be.

Deciding on another tactic, Emily stretched her legs out so her feet were resting against his leg. She suppressed a grin when she saw him frown slightly. She slowly ran her foot up and down his leg and saw him barely shiver.

"You're mean," he said lowly.

"_You're _the one withholding information," she said smartly.

He sighed, and then suddenly grabbed her foot. With a quick jerk, he dragged her across the couch so both her legs were on his lap.

"I just want to make it special," Aaron said softly. Emily's heart warmed at the sincerity in his voice.

"Okay," she whispered. "I'm sorry I pushed."

"Don't be." He leaned over and kissed her passionately. "You get curious about things, and you need answers. I get that. That's one of the things I love about you."

Emily's eyes widened when she heard a certain word. _Did he just…?_

"What else do you love about me?" she said slowly, her heart beating madly. Was he going to say it?

Aaron hoped she didn't hear his little slip up, but evidently she had. Licking his lips nervously, he tentatively met her eyes.

"Well…" He was cut off by the phone ringing.

_Saved by the bell, _he thought in relief.

_DAMN IT! _Emily thought as she watched Aaron jump up to answer the phone. _Whoever you are on the phone, you suck!_

The next day found Emily, Aaron, Spencer, and JJ sitting the library. Since JJ was now part of the group, they decided to combine their study groups.

"Calculus sucks," JJ muttered as she shoved her notebook to the middle of the table. It hit Aaron's, causing his hand to slip and mess up the word he was writing.

"JJ! You messed up my paper!"

"Sorry, Aaron," she apologized.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Emily said, turning her head so her ear was facing JJ. "What did you call him?"

JJ rolled her eyes. "Sorry, _Hotch_."

"Better," Emily chirped with a grin.

"Where did that name even come from?" asked JJ.

"Derek doesn't like calling me Aaron because it represents the football player," Aaron answered.

"And he says Hotchner is too long," Spencer added without looking up from his book.

"I thought you didn't like being called Hotch," JJ said after a moment.

"It's grown on me," Aaron said sheepishly. Emily smiled and squeezed his hand.

The four teens went back to work, and when the period was over they made their way to the cafeteria. Emily fell back and pulled her boyfriend back with her.

"What's up, sweetheart?" he asked concernedly.

"I thought about what you said yesterday," she whispered, and his heart started to race. He hoped she would let the l-word go, but it seemed she was dead set on it.

"I'm going to try to sit next to JJ today," she said instead. Aaron breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't ready to tell her everything just yet.

"That's great," he said enthusiastically. He nudged her shoulder with his. "What made you change your mind?"

"I just figured that if she's going to be here for awhile, I might as well try to be her friend."

He smiled. "Thank you."

Emily raised her eyebrows. "I'm not doing this for you, you know."

"I know." He kissed her on the cheek. "Consider it to be from JJ."

When they reached their table in the crowded lunch room, Aaron gently pushed Emily forward with a reassuring smile. Taking a deep breath, she walked up to JJ. She was already sitting next to Penelope, and Pen had Derek on her right.

"Hey, do you, uh, mind if I sit here?" She gestured lamely to the empty seat next to the blonde.

JJ looked surprised, but she smiled nonetheless. "Sure."

Emily slowly took her seat, and Aaron sat next to her. He grinned and kissed her on the cheek.

Conversation started up, but Emily and JJ remained silent. Both girls were unsure about how to proceed.

JJ decided to take the initiative. "So, how's your and, uh, Hotch's relationship going?"

"Great," Emily replied, grateful for the conversation starter. "He says he has something planned for Valentine's Day, but he won't tell me."

"Oh, don't worry. Knowing Aar- Hotch, he has something truly amazing planned," said JJ with a smile.

"How long have you known him?"

"Since elementary school," JJ confessed. "We've been friends, though not as close as we are now."

"Well, for what it's worth, I'm glad you two are close now," Emily said quietly. "You deserve to have at least _one _decent guy in your life, even if he is just a friend." She gave JJ a pointed look at the end, and the blonde raised her hands.

"Hey, I'm not one to steal anyone's boyfriend. He's all yours."

Emily smiled guiltily. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make it seem like I was accusing you, but…" Her voice trailed off.

"But what?" JJ prompted. Emily closed her eyes.

"It's just, you were Haley's best friend and considering the way you used to feel about me…"

"Say no more," JJ said with a nod. "I understand why you would be nervous."

"I'm sorry. You've been trying so hard to be nice, but I'm a little distrustful, I guess."

"Emily," JJ said with a small smile. "Don't be sorry. You have every right to be wary of me. I haven't been the nicest to you."

"No, you haven't," Emily said lightly. She eyed JJ thoughtfully. "You were just acting the way you always have, I guess."

The blonde smiled sadly. "I wish I could say I wasn't always a bitch, but I can't. I mean, I know when I was really young I was nice, but then I met Haley, and she _has_ been a bitch her whole life."

"When did you meet her?" asked Emily gently.

"Eighth grade," she said softly. "We've been best friends ever since."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

Emily took a deep breath. "For the way she betrayed you. No best friend should do that to another."

"You know, you already said sorry about that."

Emily cracked a smile. "Yeah, but I mean it now."

That got a laugh out of JJ. She looked at the brunette in a new light now. "Thank you."

The two girls were silent again, and they didn't speak to each other again until the whole team was leaving the lunch room. Emily grabbed JJ's wrist and pulled her behind the group.

"You know, if you ever wanted to, um, talk or throw darts at a picture of Haley," JJ laughed at that, "you could always call me." She looked at the ground right away, afraid of JJ's reaction.

JJ was surprised. She honestly didn't think she and Emily Prentiss would ever be friends, but now she was offering it up. JJ was happy to discover that's what she wanted.

"Thanks. I'll definitely take you up on that." Emily smiled shyly. Before they parted ways, JJ grabbed Emily's arm.

"By the way, the offer stands for you too. You can always call me if you want to."

Emily's smile grew, and she said, "I guess there's a lot more to you then I originally thought, Jennifer Jareau."

"Ditto, Emily Prentiss."

"So what _do _you have planned for Valentine's Day?" JJ asked Aaron as they walked down the hall together. It was the end of the day, and Emily had to leave right after Psychology.

"What do you mean?" he asked distractedly.

"What are you doing for Emily on Valentine's Day?" she asked impatiently.

"Oh." He shot her a sidelong glance. "How do I know I can trust you?"

"What?" JJ cried. Aaron grinned.

"I saw you talking to Emily today. You guys look like friends now."

JJ smiled shyly. "We are."

"Then how do I know you won't tell Emily my plans?"

"Ohh," JJ nodded in understanding, "I see. I promise you, I won't."

Aaron stopped walking and turned to face her fully. "Swear on your lucky soccer ball."

JJ rolled her eyes before nodding dutifully. "I swear on my lucky soccer ball."

Aaron grinned. "Okay." He leaned over and whispered in her ear. JJ's eyes widened as she listened.

"Oh my gosh. Aaron, that's amazing!" she whispered excitedly. _Why can't there be more guys like him? _She thought.

"You think so?" he asked nervously.

"Yes! You have got to be the sweetest guy in this entire school. Maybe even the world!"

"Okay, that might be pushing it," he said with a chuckle as they resumed walking. "I just want to make our first Valentine's Day together really special."

"First?" JJ raised her eyebrows. "You planning on more?"

"Of course. I think," he took a deep breath, "I think I love her."

JJ's eyes widened again. "Wow. That's serious. Maybe a little too serious."

Aaron frowned. "What do you mean?" His voice was tight.

JJ closed her eyes. Crap, she didn't mean to offend him. "I just mean… Didn't you say you loved Haley?"

Aaron's hand clenched into a fist at the mention of his ex-girlfriend. "I did." He turned and looked deep into JJ's eyes, willing her to understand what he was feeling. "But this is different. _So _different. It's _real._"

JJ's mouth fell open a bit at how raw his voice was. She understood. "Well, good for you."

He scrutinized her carefully. "Really? You mean that?"

She smiled. "I do. I wish you and Emily the best," she said sincerely.

Aaron's face softened. "Thank you."

They were silent all the way to the parking lot where they started to walk to their separate cars. Aaron suddenly grabbed JJ's hand before she walked away.

"You called me Aaron!" he said accusingly.

"What?" she asked blankly.

"Earlier you called me Aaron," he said simply. "It's Hotch, and you know it."

JJ rolled her eyes before smiling. "Bye, _Hotch._"

He grinned. "Bye, JJ."

"I think I love her." Haley didn't even wait to see what Aaron said next before stomping off down the hallway. She was going to be sick.

Will hurried after her and grabbed her arm before she could run into the bathroom around the corner.

"What was that for?" he hissed. "I thought we were going to keep listening!"

"I couldn't hear anymore," Haley spat. "Him saying he loves _her_… That's a lie! He doesn't love her, he loves _me!_"

"Doesn't seem it," Will muttered. Haley's eyes narrowed even more.

"Oh, and seeing JJ with those _losers _doesn't piss you off?"

"It does, believe me, but I thought you were happy with our relationship."

Haley rolled her eyes. "Please, the endless make-out sessions are great and all, but I'm meant to be with Aaron, and you're meant to be with JJ."

Will frowned briefly before shrugging. "Whatever. He's with Prentiss now, so it doesn't matter."

Haley smiled deviously. "He won't be with her for long. I have a plan, and you're going to help me."

"Wait, what?" asked Will in horror. "Since when did I agree to that?"

"You didn't," Haley shrugged. "But don't you want JJ back?"

"Yeah," Will said slowly.

"Well, there you go!" Haley said happily. She grabbed his hand and dragged him down the hallway. "Now we have some planning to do."

**If you don't hate me too much for taking a long time with this chapter, please leave a review! =)**


	36. Valentine's Day

**WARNING: This chapter contains some MAJOR fluff, so prepare yourselves. =)**

BAU High School

Chapter 36: Valentine's Day

In the weeks leading up to Valentine's Day, Emily tried over and over to get Aaron to tell her what he was planning. She tried distracting him before asking, bribing him, and giving him the silent treatment (She broke that after five minutes).

Yes, she tried everything, but she might as well have been asking a brick wall. Aaron was incredibly stubborn and had an amazing poker face. She wasn't getting anything out of him.

She wasn't getting anything out of her friends either. It seemed like everyone knew what was going to happen on February 14th except for her.

JJ and Penelope kept giggling every time Emily brought it up.

"You'll love it, trust us," Penelope said with a broad grin. "You're so lucky!"

Derek just rolled his eyes, and Spencer just looked clueless.

Meanwhile, Aaron was killing himself trying to get everything ready. It needed to be absolutely perfect, and he was stressing himself out over the tiny details.

"Hotch," Derek said one day after school. "Breath, man. She's going to love it no matter what."

Aaron stifled a yawn as he nodded slowly. "I know, but Emily's special, so this night has to be impossibly special." It was just them and Spencer in Derek's basement that day playing video games. Well, Aaron and Derek were.

Spencer leaned forward and studied Aaron closely. "Have you been sleeping?"

"What?" Aaron asked distractedly as he fidgeted with the game controller he was holding.

"How much sleep have you gotten over the last few weeks?"

"Uh… I don't know."

"Okay, how much did you get last night?" Derek asked.

Aaron ran his left thumb up and down his pointer finger. "Uh, maybe four hours?"

"You've got to be kidding me!" Derek cried. "You can't be _that _worried about Valentine's Day!"

"It's not just that!" It wasn't, though that did have a lot to do with his lack of sleep. No, Aaron was worried because he knew college acceptance letters were coming soon. He wasn't terribly worried about actually getting in because he knew his grades were good. It was just that as soon as those letters came in, he would have to start thinking seriously about his future and where Emily fit into it. His father already said what _he_ thought.

"When you go off to college, you need to focus on your work! A girlfriend won't help with that!"

"When I was with Haley you were fine!" Aaron yelled back. He could hear little Sean fall silent in the living room.

"You knew exactly what you wanted when you were with her," Mr. Hotchner hissed. "Now you don't know."

He gave Aaron a little shove when he left the room, and Aaron's head spun as he sat there alone. It was true. He didn't know what he wanted.

"Hotch? Earth to Hotch!" Derek's voice snapped him from his reverie.

"Wha-Yeah?" he asked dazedly. Derek laughed.

"Man, I _cannot _wait for Valentine's Day to be over with." He leaned back on the couch he was sitting on and returned to the game. Aaron did too.

_I can, _he thought.

* * *

><p>"Okay," Emily said to JJ and Penelope Friday afternoon. "Can you at least give me a hint? It can't hurt now!"<p>

It was finally here: February 14th. Valentine's Day. The three girls were in Emily's bedroom right after school trying to help Emily figure out what to wear. While she went on her date with Aaron, JJ and Penelope were going to the movies with Derek and Spencer.

"Only as friends," JJ tried to say. No one really believed that based on the way Spencer blushed when he suggested it.

"No hints!" Penelope declared. "That would ruin the surprise!"

"We can, however, tell you what to wear," JJ said. She stood up from where she had been perched on Emily's bed and walked over to the closet.

Emily smiled as she watched her new friend walk around her room with ease. A lot had changed between them, and it was clear JJ was now much more comfortable with the team.

JJ frowned in concentration as she rummaged through Emily's clothes. Fashion was important to her, and she wanted her friend to look amazing.

"You have a lot of dark clothes," she commented as she passed yet another black sweater.

Emily shrugged. "They work anywhere. When you move a lot, it's best to have clothes fit for a lot of places."

JJ was about to respond when she froze. A small smile spread across her lips.

"Penelope," she called, "Come here."

The other blonde girl leapt up and joined JJ in the small closet. She gasped loudly.

"That's perfect!"

"What's perfect?" asked Emily from her desk chair. She was hoping the outfit she was going to wear would give her some idea about what to expect.

"This." JJ pulled out a simple black dress. The sleeves covered her shoulders but not her arms. The skirt fell modestly to her knees, and the material was made to cling to her body. The dress itself shimmered whenever it moved.

Emily agreed it was gorgeous, but it didn't help her figure out where she was going. Still, it looked perfect for a mystery date.

"Where did you get it?" Penelope asked in awe.

"Uh, my mom got it for me for some lame dinner I had to go to," muttered Emily as she took it from them. "I forgot I had it."

"Well, put it on!" her two friends said excitedly.

A minute later, Emily stood in front of her floor length mirror admiring the dress. It still fit her perfectly.

"Oh, Em," Penelope whispered. "You look beautiful."

"She's right," JJ said with a smile. "Hotch is going to be speechless when he sees you."

"You think so?" Emily asked as she self-consciously fidgeted with the dress.

"We know so," Penelope said firmly. She walked back over to Emily's closet and pulled out the sliver shoes she wore to the Winter Formal. "Put these on with it." Emily obeyed and grinned at how perfect it looked together.

"My pearl necklace will look great with this, don't you think?" She started to walk to her jewelry box when the girls stopped her.

"No necklace," JJ said desperately.

"Why not?"

"We, uh, can't say," Penelope said, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. "Sorry."

"You'll understand soon," JJ assured her. Emily raised her eyebrows, but didn't say anything.

"So, when's Aaron coming to pick me up?" she asked instead.

"Uh, he's not," Penelope said cautiously.

"What do you mean he's not?" Emily asked incredulously. "This _is_ a date, right?"

"Of course it is," JJ said soothingly. "He told us to tell you to meet him somewhere."

"Where?"

"We don't really know," said Penelope. She hurried over to her bag and pulled out a white envelope. "He said to give you this."

Emily's eyes narrowed slightly as she took it. Opening it, she slid out an index card with Aaron's neat handwriting on it.

_If you're confused, good. It will make sense soon. Come to where we had our first date (Hint: Not the movie theater). I'll see you there. –A_

Emily looked up with a small smile. "So, you're his messengers?"

"Pretty much," Penelope replied with a grin. "Trust us, you'll love it."

"I'm sure I will," Emily said. "When am I supposed to leave?"

"Uh, now, actually," JJ said with a quick glance at the clock.

"Oh, okay." Emily was suddenly overcome with nerves. Her stomach fluttered nervously.

The three girls made their way downstairs, and Emily was grateful her parents were out to dinner. She didn't want to be questioned about her plans.

JJ and Penelope got into the latter's car, and they leaned out of their respective windows.

"Have fun!" they both yelled.

"Call us as soon as you can," Penelope demanded.

Emily nodded dutifully and gave her friend a mock salute. Laughing, the blonde pulled out of the driveway, leaving Emily alone. She slipped into her own car and slowly followed her friends, though she turned the opposite way.

The whole way there, her mind was racing with possible scenarios for the night. She knew they were going to her favorite restaurant, so that was definitely a plus. She wondered if her boyfriend had anything else planned besides dinner. It wasn't that she thought it wasn't going to be special, it as that with the way Aaron had been acting about it, she was expecting something huge.

_Does that make me too greedy? _She thought. She didn't want to turn into those girls who thought they deserved everything from their boyfriends.

Fifteen minutes later, Emily was pulling up to the Chinese restaurant. It was right in the middle of town, and looked packed with people.

_Well, it _is _Valentine's Day, _she thought with a grin as she entered the warm restaurant. She quickly scanned the entire room only to discover Aaron wasn't there. Frowning, she turned to the hostess.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked.

"Uh, I'm supposed to meet my boyfriend here, but I don't see him…"

"Oh, are you Emily?" she asked with a knowing smile.

"Uh, yeah," Emily said in surprise.

The hostess's smile grew even bigger. "Come with me." She led Emily through the crowded room straight to a door marked "Roof."

"Go on up." When Emily continued to just stand there, the hostess nudged Emily a bit. "Trust me."

_I am so tired of hearing that, _she thought sardonically as she slowly crept up the stairs. As soon as the door shut behind her, she felt a wave of cold air travel from the roof above. Wrapping her arms around herself in an attempt to keep warm, she stepped out onto the roof and was greeted with an amazing sight.

Glittering lights were strung high above the rooftop, giving off the feeling of even more stars in the sky. Soft music played from somewhere Emily couldn't see. Sitting right in the center of the open area was a wrought iron table filled with all her favorite dishes. Candles sat on the table along with a single red rose. Space heaters surrounded the table so they wouldn't freeze.

And right there in front of her, at the table, was her prince himself. Her breath was taken away by how handsome he looked in his dark dress coat and white button-down shirt.

The minute he saw her he stood up and walked over. He quickly leaned down and gave her a kiss.

"Happy Valentine's Day," he whispered when he pulled away.

Emily's eyes filled with tears. "Oh my gosh, Aaron, this is amazing."

"Really?" he asked hopefully. "You like it?"

She reached up to cup his cheek. "Aaron, I _love _it." She almost said, "Just like I love you," but stopped herself in time. She hadn't forgotten the way Aaron was avoiding the subject, and she didn't want to scare him.

He smiled brightly and reached up to put his hand over hers. Gently tugging it down, he slipped his hand into hers and guided her over to the table. Once there, he pulled out her chair for her before sitting down.

"Always the gentleman," she remarked.

He flashed her a dimple. "I try."

Emily looked around the rooftop for the fiftieth time. "How did you even manage all this?" she asked in awe.

"Apparently the owner is a big supporter of the football team," Aaron replied with a modest shrug. "His exact words were 'Anything for the boy that led the team to the championships.' He seemed a little emotional."

Emily grinned. "Embracing your small town fame, huh?"

"Anything for my special girl." Her heart thudded a little more, and a blush crept up her cheeks.

"Are you blushing?" he asked with a chuckle.

"What? No," she said, willing the redness to go away. Aaron laughed.

"You're blushing!"

"Well, if you weren't being so damn sweet, I wouldn't be."

Aaron smiled and reached across the table for her hand. "Don't worry. I love it when you blush."

_There's that word again. _

"I bet I can make you blush more," he said cockily. Emily raised her eyebrows.

"Oh really? Go ahead."

Grinning, Aaron slipped his free hand into his jacket and pulled out a square, velvet box. Emily's eyes widened as he slid it across the table.

"Open it," he said shyly. Emily tentatively cracked open the thin box to reveal a gorgeous diamond necklace.

"Oh my God." She looked up into her boyfriend's eyes. Her vision became blurred as her eyes filled with tears.

"Do you like it?" he asked nervously.

"I-I love it," she whispered. "But I can't accept it."

Aaron furrowed his eyebrows. "Of course you can."

"This must have cost you a fortune," she insisted.

"Emily," Aaron said, gripping her hand again, "You know I have a job at the grocery store."

"You don't earn enough for this."

He closed his eyes. "I've been saving for a while. It was originally for something else, but this is better. It's more important." He squeezed his girlfriend's hand. "I really want you to have it. That way, if God forbid we ever break up or go down our own path, I want you to have something to remember these few months by. Please, Emily."

A lone tear slid down her face. "Don't talk about that happening. I don't even want to imagine it." Then she smiled. "You lose."

"What?" Aaron's eyes widened in alarm.

Emily giggled. "You made me cry, not blush."

A relieved look spread across his face. "Oh, don't cry, sweetheart."

Emily wiped under her eyes to make sure her makeup wouldn't run. Then she looked at Aaron and handed him the necklace.

"Will you put it on me?"

Aaron smiled. "Of course." He stood up and walked behind Emily's chair. She lifted her curly hair off her neck so he could slide the silver chain around her neck. He fastened the clasp before leaning forward to kiss her neck. Emily's breath caught in her throat. Her fingers began to play with the necklace.

"How does it look?" she whispered. She turned around in her seat so Aaron could see the way it sat around her neck.

"Perfect," he replied in an equally quiet voice. He pressed his lips to hers for a brief moment. "Just like the girl who wears it."

Emily blushed madly, and Aaron grinned. "I won."

Rolling her eyes, she turned back to the table as he retook his seat. "We should probably start eating."

Ever the gentleman, Aaron helped dish out some food, and before long they fell into an easy conversation.

"So," Emily said after a while, "Have you heard from any colleges?" She knew Aaron was anxiously awaiting any acceptance letter.

A stressed look crossed Aaron's face. "Can we not talk about that now?" he asked quietly.

"Of course," she whispered. "I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"Don't be," he said quickly. "I just don't want to spend this night worrying about our futures. Tonight is just for us."

Emily smiled shyly. He still looked worried, so she quickly changed the subject. "So, the rest of the team is going to the movies tonight."

Aaron snorted. "I know. Ten bucks says Derek and Penelope will be all over each other by the end of the movie."

"I don't know. Pen's been crazy about this guy in her computer sciences class. I think his name is Kevin."

Aaron raised his eyebrows. "Do they call each other crazy nicknames?"

"Uh, no."

"Then she and Derek will be all over each other by the end of the movie."

Emily laughed. "What about Spencer and JJ?"

"What about them?" he asked as he put more chicken on his plate.

"Oh, come on. He has a massive crush on her."

Aaron looked up in surprise. "Really? Still?"

"_Still_? What, this has been going on for a while?" she asked dumbfounded.

"Well, he's never outright told me, but I can see it when he looks at her. Some kind of puppy love."

"Wow. Guess he's got it bad," Emily chuckled.

Aaron frowned. "Do you think JJ will turn him down?"

"How should I know? You know her better."

"You two have gotten close," he replied with a shrug. "I wasn't sure if she told you anything."

"No, she hasn't." She watched him closely. "What do you think?"

Aaron took a deep breath. "I don't know. I do believe she won't hurt him, but I don't know if she likes him like that. If she did, it would have to take some time to surface."

"Was that a profile?" Emily couldn't help but ask. She knew about his interest in profiling.

He thought about it for a second. "Huh. I guess it kinda was." He smiled at her. "Who knew?"

"Look at that," she laughed. "You'll be head of the BAU before you know it."

"I don't know about that." He leaned back in his chair as he contemplated it. It certainly seemed interesting. He loved hearing Gideon talk about the way his unit worked back when he was there.

_Maybe that's what I'm supposed to do, _he thought.

"Well, whatever you do, you'll still be my crazy boyfriend," Emily said lightly, trying to get him from thinking of the future too much. She knew he hated overthinking it, but he couldn't help himself.

"Crazy?" Her words had the right effect on him. A sly grin crossed his face. He jumped out of his chair and pulled her up by the hand. "Let me show you how crazy I can be." He began to twirl her around the open space.

"Since when did you learn how to dance?" Emily laughed as Aaron dipped her down.

"I didn't," he cried. Emily laughed even harder.

The two of them spun around the roof several time, and even though they were getting dizzy, they wouldn't stop for anything. It was too much fun.

Eventually they slowed down to gentle swaying. Aaron was holding Emily's hand with one of his while the other rested on her hip. Emily's other hand sat on his shoulder. She began to rest her head on his chest, but suddenly he pulled back.

"Wait a second." He reluctantly let go of her hand and jogged to the far side of the roof. The soft music was replaced by the song Chasing Cars.

Emily's heart soared as the first few notes played through the speakers. Aaron hurried back and repositioned himself in her arms.

"Now we can finally dance to this song the proper way," he said proudly.

Emily kissed him passionately, trying to convey exactly how she felt with that one gesture. It didn't seem to be enough.

"You're too sweet," she whispered against his lips. "You're the perfect boyfriend."

He kissed her forehead. "I'll do anything for the girl I love."

Emily's eyes widened, and she gazed deep into his eyes. "What did you say?"

Aaron leaned back slightly so he could look at her properly. He took a deep breath before speaking.

"When we kissed at the Winter Formal, I said I was falling in love with you. And now, well, it's been a while since then." He smiled at the beautiful girl in his arms. "I love you, Emily Prentiss."

Emily's eyes filled with tears for what felt like the millionth time that evening. "I love you too, Aaron Hotchner," she whispered.

The two teenagers smiled shyly at each other before meeting for another kiss. This one was filled with love and happiness. They were both safe in each other's arms, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

**A/N: Thank you to all my amazing readers! I really appreciate all the feedback I've been getting. Please keep it coming! I hope you liked this chapter! =)**


	37. Valentine's Day Part 2

**A/N: Here's the rest of the team on Valentine's Day. I only meant to do part of the chapter with this, but then it grew to an actual chapter length. I hope you like what happens!**

BAU High School

Chapter 37: Valentine's Day Part 2

While Aaron and Emily confessed their love for each other, the rest of the team went to the movies to celebrate Valentine's Day.

"So what are we seeing?" JJ asked as she stood at the box office with Derek, Penelope, and Spencer. This was her first time spending time with the team without Aaron, or Emily for that matter. She knew Derek and Penelope had relaxed slightly around her, but she was still glad to have someone familiar like Spencer.

"Well, there is that romantic comedy with Emma Stone," Penelope said hopefully.

"Nuh uh," Derek said right away. "I'm not watching some stupid girl movie tonight."

"Please?" Penelope begged. Derek rolled his eyes.

"Fine," he grumbled. Penelope clapped her hands in delight.

Spencer nudged JJ and whispered, "Ten bucks says they will be all over each other by the end of the movie."

JJ giggled. "It's about time." Spencer smiled when he heard her laugh.

Ten minutes later the four teenagers were seated in the slowly filling theater. The plush seats were filled with couples celebrating Valentine's Day.

"Psshhh," Penelope said with a wave of her hand, "Movies on Valentine's Day. Guys need to get more creative like a certain tall, dark, football player."

"Oh, definitely. I hope they're having fun."

"Uh, Penelope?" Derek asked. "You do realize _we_ are at the movies on Valentine's Day, right?"

"Yeah, but we're not a couple," Penelope said as if it should have been obvious. "Unless, of course, you want us to be."

Derek blinked in surprise. "I thought you liked that Lynch dude."

"He's no Derek Morgan," she whispered before the theater went dark, leaving Derek unable to say anything in response.

"See?" Spencer whispered to JJ.

"Maybe they won't wait until the end of the movie," JJ replied with a knowing grin. Spencer blushed slightly as the movie began.

As movie progressed, Derek couldn't stop thinking of what Penelope had said. Did that mean she was waiting for him to make a move? He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. What should he do? He'd always had feeling for the eccentric blonde, but he thought she never truly reciprocated them. Now…

Penelope's heart was pounding. She'd had a crush on Derek ever since he accidentally called her Gomez the day they met. Now she was tired of waiting for him to do something about it, so she not-so-subtly told him to go for it. It all would come down to what Derek did next.

When the movie's two main characters finally kissed like everyone knew they would, Derek slipped his arm around Penelope. He heard her gasp a little before looking at him.

"What are you doing?" she whispered. He leaned a bit closer.

"I'm doing what I should've done a long time ago." Closing the tiny distance between them, Derek kissed her gently at first before slowly adding more pressure. Penelope sighed in content.

_Finally, _she thought.

* * *

><p>Spencer was trying his best to ignore the make-out session going on next to him and focus on the chick flick in front of him. However, it was getting increasingly hard to do so considering their moans and sighs.<p>

"Getting kinda nauseating, isn't it?" he heard JJ whisper. Turning to look at her, Spencer saw she was watching Penelope and Derek with a mixture of happiness and annoyance.

"It's just a little awkward," Spencer said softly. He was about to return to the movie when something caught his eye. Sitting idly on the arm rest between him and JJ was her hand.

His heart beat a little faster. Should he go for it? Ever since JJ officially joined the team, his feelings for her had grown to epic proportions. He so badly wanted to take her hand, but he didn't want to scare her. She didn't feel the same way. He was sure of that.

JJ looked away from the kissing couple next to them to see Spencer's eyes zero in on her hand on the arm rest. She resisted the urge to pull it away right then and there. It wasn't that she didn't like Spencer. Far from it. It was because she was afraid. Afraid of being hurt again. She knew the fourteen year old would never hurt her intentionally, but she was still scared to take that risk. Plus, she wasn't even one hundred percent sure of her feelings toward the boy.

Still, it couldn't hurt, could it? It wasn't like holding hands for a little bit would ruin their friendship. Besides, the movie was almost over anyway.

Taking a deep breath, JJ moved her hand a bit closer to Spencer. She saw his eyes widen slightly when he saw it move, and she moved it even more. Spencer turned to look at her.

"Are you sure?" he whispered.

She smiled gently and nodded. "Sure. Why not?"

Taking a deep breath of his own, he tentatively raised his hand so it hovered above hers. He slowly laid it down so his palm as against hers. His heart thudding madly, he slid his fingers so they were intertwined with JJ's fingers. She smiled at him and gave him a gentle squeeze.

_I did it! _He thought in amazement. _I'm actually holding hands with Jennifer Jareau! And they told me it would never happen. _He turned to show Derek, but the older boy was still kissing Penelope.

_Eh, I'll tell him later._

* * *

><p>When the credits finally rolled and the lights came up, Penelope and Derek reluctantly pulled apart. They both had smiles on their faces, which were flushed red.<p>

"Did you two have fun?" JJ teased.

"Yes," they both said in breathless unison.

"Well, all I can say is it's about time." The happy couple laughed, then zeroed in on JJ and Spencer's hands.

"Did _you _two have fun?" Derek asked with a devious smirk on his face. The two people in question blushed.

"Uh, yeah," Spencer began to talk rapidly, "The movie was good enough, though I feel the leading actor's acting could have been better. I mean, if you're truly happy about finding your mystery girl, shouldn't you actually look it? And the mean girl. I think her character was too one-dimensional. They could have-"

"Spencer," JJ said gently, "They just wanted to know if we enjoyed ourselves."

"Oh, right. Yeah, we did." Spencer's face was now completely red.

"Come on, you two," Derek said with that stupid smirk still in place. "Let's get going."

As they stood up, JJ and Spencer both realized something: They were still holding hands.

"Uh, well…" Spencer started to say uneasily. JJ took a deep breath and squeezed his hand.

"We can still hold hands. You know, if you want to," she said shyly. Spencer smiled in relief.

"Yeah, I do." Hand in hand, they followed Penelope and Derek out of the theater.

Before long the four of them stood in the parking lot awkwardly looking at each other. Spencer had come with Derek and JJ with Penelope, which meant the two couples (though Spencer and JJ weren't exactly one) had to split up.

"Well, uh," Penelope started to say. She turned to Derek. "I had a great time."

"Me too," Derek said with a smile. "I'm sorry it took so long."

"Don't be. I'm glad we're finally there."

Derek gave her a brief kiss. "I'm gonna take you on a date next weekend, so clear your calendar."

"Oh, guess I have to turn Kevin down," Penelope said with mock disappointment.

"What?" asked Derek in shock and with slight anger.

"I'm kidding," Penelope said, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I only have eyes for you."

Derek pulled her closer. "You better." They kissed each other one last time before stepping away.

"Goodnight, Baby Girl," said Derek with a smile.

"Goodnight, Derek," Penelope said easily. Derek turned to Spencer.

"Come on, Lover boy! I gotta get you home."

While they had their goodbye, JJ and Spencer were having one of their own. They had stepped a little ways away from the other couple.

"So…" Spencer said slowly.

"So what?" JJ asked, still distracted by them holding hands.

"So what does this mean?"

JJ raised her eyes to look at the younger boy. "Spencer, I like you, I really do. I wouldn't have tried to hold hands with you if I didn't. But I need to figure things out before this grows between us. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," Spencer said with a small smile. "I understand. Take all the time you need. Just know that when you do figure it out, I'll be here."

JJ felt tears in her eyes at his kind words. "Spencer, when did you get so sweet?" she teased lightly.

He shrugged. "I think I've always been one, I've just never had someone to be that way with."

Before she lost her nerve, JJ quickly leaned over and kissed his cheek. He blushed madly once again and lifted his free hand to touch it.

"Wow," he said softly. JJ giggled.

"Come on, Lover boy! I gotta get you home," Derek called. They reluctantly stepped apart.

"Goodnight, Spencer. Thanks for… for being you, I guess."

"Goodnight, JJ," Spencer softly. "Thanks for showing us the real you."

Okay, now JJ was positive she was going to start crying. She hurried over to Penelope's car after waving goodbye.

Penelope barely wasted any time questioning JJ in the car. "Oh my gosh! You two looked _so _cute together! Who started it? Did he ask you first? Oh my gosh, are you two dating now?"

"Penelope!" JJ said firmly. "Breath! I kinda started it, but it was obvious he wanted it too, and he took my hand first. He asked me if I was sure and I said yes, obviously. And no, we're not dating now."

"Awwww, but you two are so cute together," Penelope said in disappointment.

"That doesn't mean it won't ever happen," JJ replied quietly. Penelope's head whipped around to face her.

"WHAT?"

"I like him, I do, and I know he likes me, it's just I'm not ready to get into another relationship. Everything that happened with Will is still too fresh. I know Aaron was ready to embrace that right away, but he really knew that's what he wanted. I don't even know that."

"You don't know if you like Spencer that way?"

"Exactly. I know I care for him, but I don't know if it's romantic or sibling love," JJ said with a sigh.

"But you kissed him on the cheek."

"What?"

"I saw you kiss him on the cheek!" Penelope said excitedly. "You can't deny it!"

"No, I guess I can't. It just felt right," JJ said lamely.

"That's so sweet. Unless of course you lead him on, in which case I will not hesitate to ruin you through cyberspace. And I know everyone else will not hesitate to ruin you in other ways."

"Don't worry, Pen. I would rather move to Alaska than hurt Spencer," JJ assured her.

"Good."

"So what about you and Derek?" JJ asked, eager to get the conversation away from herself.

"Well, I think that's pretty obvious," Penelope replied with a giggle.

"Well then tell me the details!" JJ cried impatiently. "I want to know!"

Penelope told her the exciting tale of how Derek kissed her during the movie, and at the end JJ was nodding approvingly.

"Who knew Derek could be so sweet?"

"I did," Penelope said in defense of her new boyfriend. "The whole player exterior is just an act."

"I'm sure it is." JJ leaned back in her seat. She was happy for all of her friends and their new romances. Now if only she could figure out hers…

* * *

><p>Derek, much like his new girlfriend, didn't waste any time questioning Spencer in the car.<p>

"So, were you the one to make a move?" he asked right away, that annoying smirk _still _on his face.

"Before I answer any of your questions, you have to answer mine," Spencer said instead. "Are you and Penelope finally official?"

The smirk on Derek's face transformed into a content smile. "Yeah, we are."

"Good for you," Spencer said with a smile of his own. "I'm happy for you two."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thanks. Now tell me about you and JJ!"

Spencer sighed. "She isn't ready for a relationship."

"I can understand that after all that crap with Will," Derek nodded.

"Since when did you become so understanding about girls?" Spencer asked quizzically.

"I have two older sisters," the older boy said dismissively. "Please continue."

"There's really nothing more to say," Spencer replied with a shrug.

"Yes there is! Were you the person to start it?"

"Start what?"

"The hand holding!" Derek cried in exasperation.

"Oh, uh, yeah, kinda."

"Kinda? That makes no sense."

"Well, I kept eyeing her hand, and when she saw that she moved it closer to me. I asked if she was sure and she said yeah."

"Huh," Derek mused to himself. "Nice job kid."

"What?"

Derek gave the younger boy a smile. "You actually had some form of contact with a girl. Nice job."

"Thanks," Spencer said shyly. "And you told me it would never happen."

"What? I never said that," Derek insisted.

"You said it would never happen with Jennifer Jareau."

"I also said Hotch would never admit to being called Hotch. It's been a weird year."

_Yes, _Spencer thought to himself, _yes it has._

**A/N 2: Please leave a review telling me what you thought! =)**


	38. Letters

**A/N: We are slowly approaching the end! Don't worry though, there are still plenty of chapters to come. I don't know the exact number. There is a lot of drama coming soon as well! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

BAU High School

Chapter 38: Letters

After the excitement of Valentine's Day wore off, things slowly returned to normal. Emily and Aaron were happy to hear about Penelope and Derek's new relationship, and the whole team celebrated the same way they did when Aaron and Emily got together: with a party.

That had been the week after Valentine's Day. It was now the middle of March which meant one thing for the seniors: Acceptance letters were coming in.

Spencer was the first of the group to get a letter. His was from Caltech and it said he got in, of course. Spencer being Spencer also received letters from Yale and MIT, both saying he was accepted.

"Way to make us look bad, kid," Morgan muttered one day at lunch. The six of them were sitting at their usual table, and Spencer's three letters sat in the middle.

"Don't pick on him," Emily chided. "He's a genius. Of course he would get into those schools."

Spencer's face flushed red and he muttered, "Thanks, Emily."

"Anytime."

"You're just saying that because you got into Yale _last year_," Derek said accusingly.

"Hey, don't pick on my girlfriend," Aaron said immediately. The small smile on his face showed that he was joking, though Emily could see some tension in his features that had nothing to do with Derek's comment.

"I'm just saying," Derek muttered.

"Okay, well, stop saying things sweetie, because I have an announcement," Penelope said dramatically. She reached inside her multi-colored bag and produced an official looking envelope.

"Is that what I think it is?" JJ asked with a smile.

"Yes, my wonderful JJ, it is. My letter from Caltech." She had applied to the same school as Spencer for many reasons, the biggest being she wanted to make sure he wouldn't be bullied.

"Well, what did it say?" Emily asked eagerly.

"I-I don't know," Penelope said, suddenly looking nervous. "I haven't opened it. I wanted you guys to be here."

"Well, we're here now," said Aaron comfortingly. "Open it."

Derek put his arm around his girlfriend as she slowly ripped it open. Sliding out the letter, her eyes scanned the paper for a second before she gasped.

"Well?" everyone asked.

"I got in!" she shrieked happily. Derek pulled her in for a kiss while the rest of the team applauded. Spencer gave her a hug, happy to know he wouldn't have to face college without her.

"Now we're just waiting on you three," Emily said with a smile, gesturing to JJ, Derek, and Aaron. She was the only one who noticed the way Aaron's shoulders tensed up.

A few days later Derek walked up to the lunch table with a nervous look on his face. He threw down an envelope from Northwestern University.

"Got it yesterday," he said quietly. "I was too afraid to open it."

Penelope patted the open seat next to her, and Derek slumped into it.

"I'll still love you no matter what," she whispered, sliding the letter over. The rest of the team watched nervously. Derek slid his finger under the sealed flap and pulled out the folded up piece of paper. A surprised and happy smile appeared on his face.

"I got in!" he crowed. The team cheered loudly as Penelope gave him a big kiss.

Now it was down to JJ and Aaron.

At the end of the day, JJ pulled into her driveway before heading over to the mailbox. Both of her parents were working, so she knew the house was empty before she ever walked in. Shutting the front door behind her, JJ began to thumb through the mail. Her heart stopped when she reached the last envelope.

It read "University of Pittsburgh" in the return address.

Her hand started to shake, and she quickly set it on the counter as if it burned her hand. She brought up her English Literature grade, but did she bring it up enough?

Not wanting to be alone for this, she pulled out her cell phone and scrolled through her contacts, unsure of who to call. Her eyes spotted a certain name, and she knew right away that was who she wanted with her.

"Hello?" Spencer answered the phone on the first ring. JJ smiled at that.

"Hey, Spencer, it's me, JJ."

"Oh, hey, JJ," he said, suddenly sounding nervous. He had been on edge with her ever since Valentine's Day.

"Do you… Do you think you could come over here? I got a letter from the University of Pittsburgh, and I don't want to open it alone."

"Well, I can't drive, so…"

"Then can I go over there?" she asked desperately. "Please, Spence."

The younger boy was taken aback by the nickname. His friends called him that all the time, but never JJ. This was new.

"Sure," he said right away. "Of course you can."

She pulled up to the Reid house not ten minutes later. Spencer greeted her at the door, and within a minute they were sitting at his kitchen table staring at the letter.

"You know, you can't open it with your mind," Spencer said gently after a few minutes. JJ jumped slightly before sighing.

"I know. I'm just scared." She shoved the envelope towards him. "You open it."

"Why me?"

"I-I just can't." JJ held her breath as Spencer slowly picked it up and opened it. He read in entire letter in only a few seconds.

"Well?" she asked in a trembling voice. "Did I get in?"

Spencer cleared his throat before reading, "Dear Ms. Jareau. We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into-"

"YES!" JJ cried, throwing her arms in the air. Suddenly she felt as though the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Congratulations," Spencer said with a chuckle. JJ smiled giddily.

"Thanks. Thank you so much. I couldn't have done it without you."

"What, reading the letter?" he asked confusedly.

"No, silly, you tutoring me! You made sure I didn't fail." She gave him a genuine smile. "You stood by me even when I was a bitch to you."

"I always knew there was more to you than the mean girl," Spencer said softly.

"Always?" she asked in awe. "You can't mean that."

"But I do. You had to have known about my crush for you." When JJ's eyes widened slightly, he hurried to continue. "I know you still have to figure things out, and I don't want to pressure you, but-"

"Spence, stop," said JJ shakily. She held up a hand to stop him. "Believe me when I say I want nothing more than to just trust you and start something with you. But after everything that happened with Will… I just can't."

"I won't hurt you," he said softly. She smiled sadly.

"I know you won't. Let's just," she took a deep breath, "Let's just take it slow. Let's enjoy the rest of our senior year and see where we are at the end. Who knows, maybe we'll be ready before the end. Does that sound okay?"

"Yeah," Spencer said with a broad smile. He grabbed her hand and received a smile back. "That sounds great."

* * *

><p><em>Meet me in room 117, <em>Emily's phone read. It was from Aaron.

_I'm not about to walk into some trap, am I? _She sent back with a smiley face.

_Just come, _was all she got in reply.

"This must be serious," she muttered as she turned back down the hall. Her boyfriend had been on edge all week, and Emily was beyond nervous. She hated seeing him so stressed, and she was worried about the toll it was taking on their relationship.

"Aaron?" she said upon entering the classroom. He was sitting at one of the desks in the back corner. Two envelopes sat in front of him.

"Hey," he said in a monotone voice, barely looking up at her.

"Hey," she said hesitantly. Making her way over, she added, "Those from colleges?"

"Yeah," he replied softly. "Like everyone else, I was afraid to open them alone."

Emily sat down next to him and squeezed his hand. "Open them. I'll still love you no matter what."

Aaron kissed her hand before picking up the first envelope. Ripping it open, his eyes scanned the first few lines of the letter.

"Well, I got into Harvard," he said matter-of-factly. Emily was surprised at how unenthusiastically he said it.

"Sweetie, that's great!" she cried. She quickly kissed him on the cheek. "Your dad will be happy."

If anything, that made him seem more depressed. With a grunt, he picked up the second letter and opened it quickly. He read it just as fast.

"I got into Yale." His voice was quiet, and for a moment Emily thought she heard him wrong.

"You applied to Yale? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wasn't sure I was going to get in," he said softly. "I didn't want to tell you about something when nothing might come from it."

"But why?" she asked, still confused.

"So I could be with you." He finally turned to look at her.

"Oh, Aaron," she said softly. "But what about your dad? Didn't he graduate from Harvard?"

"Yeah, he did. That's why he's so adamant about me going there." Aaron leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath. "But when he went off to Harvard, he knew exactly what he wanted to be. He wanted to be a lawyer. I don't know if that's what I want. I still think profiling is cool."

"Did you tell him about Yale?"

Aaron snorted humorlessly. "Are you kidding? If I told him about that, he would disown me or something."

"Well, you have to tell him now," Emily insisted. She bit her lip. "Where are you going to go?"

He sighed. "I don't know. Where do you think I should go?"

She smiled sadly. "I can't tell you that. It's your life, and I'm not about to control it."

Aaron took her hand again. "I just don't want us to be separated."

"Hey," Emily said immediately. She stood up and sat on the desk he was sitting at. She placed her free hand on his cheek. "Listen to me right now. We will not be separated. Even if we go to different schools we won't be separated. We can make the long distance thing work. I realize this sounds cheesy, but our love it strong enough to survive that."

Aaron's mouth curled up a bit, and he gave her a quick kiss. "I love you. You know that, right?"

"I think that was the point of my little speech there," she said before she gave him another kiss, this one deeper than the one before. When she pulled away reluctantly, she asked, "Is that why you've been so stressed all week? You're worried about us being separated?"

He sighed and leaned back again. "Yeah, kinda. That, and my dad's been all over me about college. He's not going to be happy about Yale."

"What, because you applied to his rival school?" she asked teasingly. She only got a weak smile in return.

"That, and because I applied there because of you."

A frown appeared on Emily's face. "Why?"

Aaron closed his eyes. He had said too much. "It's nothing."

"It doesn't sound like nothing." Emily slid her hand out of Aaron's and crossed her arms across her chest. "Tell me, Aaron."

He licked his lips nervously before answering. "He thinks that going to the same school as my girlfriend will be a major distraction."

Her frown deepened slightly. "We go to the same school now. There's more to it, and you know it. Tell me right now, Aaron Hotchner."

"Em, it's nothing, really."

"You've been looking like you have the world on our shoulders since letters started coming in! Hell, you've been looking like that for longer! I can take it."

He looked deep into her eyes. "My dad doesn't think you're a good influence on me."

"Yeah, and so does Strauss," Emily muttered.

"Em, I'm serious." Aaron let out a frustrated sigh. "He thinks that ever since I met you my priorities got messed up."

"Do you think that?" asked Emily worriedly.

"No," he said immediately. "If anything, you've made my world clearer. You've helped me see new things." He pried her arms apart and took both her hands in his. "You've changed my life."

"For the better?" she asked nervously.

He kissed her gently. "Of course for the better." He rested his forehead on hers. "We will figure this out together. If my dad wants to make a big deal out of this, screw him."

"But I don't want to turn you against your dad," she whispered.

"You aren't. My father and I have been having issues since I was ten. It's nothing new."

She bit her lip before asking, "How did he feel about Haley?"

He closed his eyes. "Emily, don't do this to yourself."

"Do what?"

"Compare yourself to Haley. It doesn't matter how he felt about her because I'm not with her anymore. I'm with you, and I'm happier this way."

"Really?"

Aaron raised an eyebrow. "Do you really not believe me?"

She giggled quietly. "No, I do, I just love hearing you say it."

"Oh, well, in that case," he pulled her closer, "I'm much happier now than I was with Haley. The way I feel now can't even compare to how I felt then."

Emily laughed outright now. "I love you."

Aaron kissed her deeply. "I love you too."

**A/N 2: I'm not 100 percent sure about when acceptance letters come, but with the way I planned the rest of the story, they needed to come now. Please leave a review and let me know what you thought! =) =)**


	39. Everything Falls Apart

BAU High School

Chapter 39: Everything Falls Apart

"We need to move faster," Haley said as shoved past Will. She came over to his house unannounced, and he was very confused.

"Move faster with what?" he asked dumbly. Haley glared at him.

"With our plan to get Aaron and JJ back! We need to hurry up!"

"What's the rush?" asked Will tiredly as he ran his hands through his hair. Sure, he wanted JJ back, but he was really enjoying his new role as the most popular guy in school. Bringing Aaron back meant that would be taken away from him.

"Aaron and Prentiss are getting too close. _Way _too close." Haley's eyes were filled with complete hatred for the other girl.

"Well, yeah. Even I could tell you that. He said he loves her." Will said this to try to get Haley to see Aaron was a lost cause. He should have known it wasn't going to work.

"It's worse than that! He applied to _Yale _for her! He's been dead set on Harvard for years!" Haley collapsed on the couch dramatically as if to show what this ordeal was doing to her.

"How did you hear that?" Will took a seat on the other couch in the cozy living room and began to idly flip through channels on the television.

"I have spies everywhere. Jordan heard Prentiss tell that freak Garcia in the bathroom." Haley sat up straight. "We need to get the plan in motion!"

"When?" Will asked in a bored voice which Haley ignored.

"Next week."

Will's eyes swiveled to look at her. "What? Why so soon?"

"I can't let Aaron make a huge mistake in going to Yale when he won't be with Prentiss at the end of the year. If he stays with her any longer he will be harder to bring back. And most importantly, prom is in the middle of May, and we've already lost too much time in terms of running for King and Queen."

Will raised an eyebrow. "You want to be Prom Queen?"

"Of course I do, and Aaron will be my King," Haley snapped. "That's why we need to get a move on! It's already April."

"You know, I could be your King," Will tried. He really didn't want Aaron back. He made his choice to go be a loser. Now Will wanted his chance to shine for once.

"Oh Will, that's sweet, but I'm meant to be with Aaron, and you're meant to be with JJ. You and I were just together to fill the gaps left by their temporary absence. You know that."

"And what if I don't?" Will challenged. Haley's nostrils flared slightly.

"I can do this without you. It all comes down to whether or not you want to be a part of the best group in school. If you don't, I can make sure you're just like those freaks Aaron calls friends."

Will lowered his gaze to the floor. "Alright, fine. I'll help."

Haley smiled brightly. "Good. Then the plan will commence next Friday."

* * *

><p>"So what did your dad say?" Emily asked Aaron nervously. She was talking to him on the phone Sunday night while pacing her room anxiously. She heard her boyfriend take a deep breath.<p>

"I-I haven't really told him," Aaron said reluctantly. He was in his room as well, and he sat down heavily on the bed.

"What? Why not?" Emily could hear how stressed he was, and she felt terrible knowing there was nothing she could do to ease the pain. She began to bite her nails, a horrible habit she picked up when she was younger.

"I just couldn't do it! I don't even know I'm going to Yale for sure, so why should I tell him?"

"So he at least knows you're considering it," Emily said gently. Aaron closed his eyes and lay back on his bed.

"He won't be helpful."

"Then maybe you can try to get him to see it from your perspective," she insisted.

Aaron let out a humorless laugh. "He's more stubborn than me."

"Is that even possible?"

He laughed a genuine laugh this time. "Gee, thanks sweetheart."

"Come on, Aaron. You can do this. I believe in you."

Aaron smiled a bit and said, "I'll call you back after. If I'm still alive, that is."

"You're going in with the wrong mindset," Emily scolded.

"You don't know my father," was all he said before hanging up.

Twenty minutes later Emily's phone rang. She leapt up from her bed, abandoning the book she was attempting to read, and grabbed the cell phone.

"Aaron?"

She heard him take a deep breath. "Well, I told him."

"And?"

"He's not happy." Emily frowned at the way his voice sounded.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I already knew he was going to be an ass about it, so it's not that big of a surprise…"

"No, I mean physically, are you okay? You sound like you're in pain."

Aaron winced. How could she do that? "Emily, I'm fine, really."

"What did he do to you?" she whispered.

He sighed. "He slapped me across the face. Once."

"Once?" she asked doubtfully.

"Okay and he may have punched me in the gut."

"Aaron! Oh my god, are you okay?" She began to pace her room again.

"I told you, I'm fine," he said forcefully.

"Has this happened before?"

Silence. "Aaron, I swear to god…"

"He doesn't abuse me, if that's what you're thinking."

"But he's hit you before?" she pressed. He sighed yet again.

"Only a few times."

"How can you say that's not abuse?" Emily was horrified.

"Because it's not," Aaron insisted. "Believe me, I'm not one of those kids who blame themselves. I can count on one hand all the times he's hit me."

Emily wasn't convinced. "Aaron…"

"Emily, I'm begging you, let it go. Please. This is nothing to be worried about."

She sighed and did as he asked. "So he didn't take it well?"

"No," he replied, grateful she had dropped it for now. "He told me I need to get my priorities straight."

"Oh sweetie, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Like I said, I knew this would happen."

The two fell silent for a moment before Emily spoke. "I love you."

Aaron smiled faintly. "I love you too."

"I'll always be here for you no matter what."

"I know," he said softly. "I know."

* * *

><p>As the week progressed, Emily tried her best to put Aaron's mind at ease with no luck. It was painfully obvious that he was upset about the way his father took the news, but he refused to talk about it with anyone. Any time Emily attempted to talk to him he just changed the subject immediately.<p>

"I'm worried, Pen," Emily told her friend on Wednesday. "I've never seen him look so stressed."

"That's because you've only been here for a few months. Hotch always gets really stressed around the end of the year because of finals. It's just worse this year because of college and everything."

"Are you sure it's just because of college?" Emily asked quietly. She never told anyone this because she wanted to believe she was being silly, but did Haley know about how harsh Aaron's father was? Did she have a special way of soothing him? A part of Emily told her the reason he was so depressed was because he didn't have Haley to calm him down. That part of Emily refused to let her think otherwise.

"I'm sure it is," Penelope said warmly. Then she frowned. "Why? Do you think it's something else?"

"No, no you're probably right," said Emily quickly.

_Emily, stop thinking like this, _the rational part of her brain told her. _He loves you and he knows you're here for him. You have to trust him._

_I do trust him, _she argued in her head. _I do._

* * *

><p>Friday came all too slowly for the students' liking, and the day itself dragged on. After what seemed like forever the final bell rang and the students darted out of their classrooms, eager to start the weekend. Aaron automatically reached for Emily's hand as they left Psychology with Spencer and Derek.<p>

"All I'm saying is I think you will really like it," Spencer was saying as the foursome made their way down the hall.

"Spencer, I've told you one before," Derek said with a roll of his eyes. "I'm not watching Star Trek with you."

"Oh, come on!" Spencer whined. "Hotch watched it and _he_ liked it!"

"Hotch also likes Star Wars!" Derek argued.

"You don't have to like Star Wars to like Star Trek," Spencer fired back. "Come on, Hotch, tell him."

"What?" Aaron said, looking up in confusion. It was clear he hadn't been paying attention.

"Tell Derek to watch Star Trek."

"Oh. Derek, watch Star Trek."

Derek and Spencer began to argue again, but Emily focused on Aaron. His eyes held a distanced look and a frown was on his normally relaxed face.

"You okay?" she asked quietly. He raised his eyes to meet hers.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he muttered.

She knew he wasn't but decided to let it drop. He wouldn't want to talk about it in the middle of the hallway.

A few minutes later they were standing in the student parking lot. Spencer and Derek already took off, leaving Aaron and Emily alone. They were going to spend the afternoon at his house because his dad was at work for the rest of the night. Emily was about to get into the car when she heard Aaron swear under his breath.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't have my Calculus book," he murmured as he dug through his backpack. "I was wondering why my bag felt so light. I could've sworn I had it…"

"Do you really need it?" Emily prodded, shivering slightly in the early April air. Her thin blue sweater wasn't doing much to warm her.

"Uh, yeah. I have a huge test Monday." He looked up and gave Emily an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. I just have to go check my locker."

"I'll come with you," she began to say before he stopped her.

"No, you don't have to. It'll just take two seconds and I'll go faster if you just stay here." She nodded reluctantly, and Aaron took off at a sprint back toward the school.

Racing through the empty school hallways, he came to a stop in front of his locker. Spinning the dial rapidly, he threw the metal door open and began to shove all his books around in search of the Calculus book.

"Looking for this?" a familiar voice said behind him.

Turning around slowly, Aaron came face to face with Haley for the first time since their break up. She still looked gorgeous, but her beautiful looks had no effect on him. He noticed she was wearing a blue shirt (his favorite color) and was holding his textbook.

"Where'd you get that?" he asked carefully. This couldn't be good.

"That's not important. Are you looking for it?"

"Yes," he said slowly, shutting his locker. Haley took a step closer to him. He tried to step away only to slam against his locker. _Shit._

"I guess you can have it. On one condition, of course," she said deviously. Aaron gulped slightly.

"What's the condition?" he asked while scanning the hall. Why did everyone have to leave so fast on Fridays?

"Kiss me," was all she said. Aaron let out a bitter laugh.

"No way. I'd rather fail."

Haley rolled her eyes and shoved the book to his chest. "Fine."

He raised his eyebrows. "Really? That's all you're gonna do? I thought you were a better manipulator."

"You did?" Haley whispered. "Aaron, you flatter me."

"That's not a good thing," he hissed. Sliding to the left against the locker, he managed to get out of her space, but not for long. Haley reached out and grabbed his right arm.

"Where are you going?" she asked in an innocent voice. "Got somewhere to be?"

"Yes, actually, I do," Aaron replied forcefully. "I have a girlfriend, and in case you've forgotten, it's not you."

"But it can be me," she insisted, ignoring the anger that flared up at his reminder.

"You're crazy. We're done, and we have been for months. You moved on to Will."

"Will's not the same. He misses JJ, and I miss you. We were so good together, Aaron." She slowly ran her hand up his arm to his shoulder. "Don't you miss me?"

"To be perfectly honest, no, I don't," Aaron said bluntly, ripping his arm away from her. She immediately latched on to his entire body by wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Of course you do," she whispered seductively, rubbing circles on his back like she used to when he got stressed. She smiled inwardly when she felt him automatically relax.

"Haley…" he said hoarsely.

"Come on, Aaron, admit it," she whispered again in the same tone that used to drive him crazy. The one that would make him forgive her every time they fought. "You love me. Deep down you do. You can't just throw everything we had between us away."

"I love Emily," he said tersely.

"I love _you_," was all she said before quickly pressing her lips to his. He began to immediately pull away, but she pressed harder, shoving her tongue into his mouth. She pushed him back up against the locker, effectively trapping him.

Neither Aaron nor Haley heard footsteps behind them.

"What the _hell _is going on here?" Emily hissed.

**So if you don't completely hate me for that, please leave a review and let me know! =)**


	40. Everything Continues To Fall Apart

BAU High School

Chapter 40: Everything Continues To Fall Apart

Emily shivered yet again as a cold breeze hit her thinly covered arms. Aaron left to get his textbook almost ten minutes ago, and she knew it didn't take that long to get to his locker.

_Maybe he decided to go check the classroom, _she thought. _Yeah, I'm sure that's it._

"Relax, baby, I'm on my way now," she heard behind her. Turning around, Emily saw Will LaMontange stride across the nearly empty parking lot. His backpack was thrown carelessly over his shoulder, and his cell phone was against his ear.

_Must be Haley, _she thought. Ducking down slightly so he wouldn't see her, she frowned as she listened to the rest of the conversation.

"How should I know what Aaron's doing? You're supposedly his new best friend… Then he's probably off making out with Haley. I told you JJ, I don't know where he is… Yeah, you're right, he's with Haley. Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes. Love you, babe. Bye." He hung up, settled into his car, and pulled out of the parking lot.

Emily didn't see the devious smile on his face.

Her mind was racing as she leaned against Aaron's car. _It's nothing, it's nothing, it's _nothing_, _she tried to convince herself. Will was probably drunk (Wouldn't be that big of a surprise). That had to be it. That was the only reason he would think Aaron was making out with Haley.

And talking to JJ…

Standing up slowly, she began to make her way back to the school. She would just go find Aaron by his locker, and they could go to his house and laugh about it. Yes, that was what they would do.

Before she knew it Emily was sprinting through the halls, desperate to find Aaron and prove to herself that Will LaMontange was a drunken ass.

_He loves you. He loves you. He loves you. He… Lied to you._

Emily turned around the last corner only to be greeted with the worst sight possible: Haley and Aaron were kissing against the lockers. Aaron's textbook lay forgotten on the floor. Her hands ran up and down his chest and his hands were around her waist.

"What the _hell _is going on here?" she hissed, trying to prevent tears from making an appearance. _This can't be happening._

"Emily!" Aaron cried, his eyes widening. He immediately shoved Haley away and raced over to his girlfriend. His heart broke into a million pieces when he saw her take a step back.

"You know," she said in a low voice, "When I heard Will LaMontange talking in the parking lot about you _making out_ with Haley, I thought he was hallucinating. I thought he must have hit his head and woke up thinking it was the beginning of the year. _I thought _you would never do something like this because you _loved _me." She let out a humorless laugh. "I guess I was wrong."

"Emily wait," Aaron said desperately. "This isn't what it looks like. You have to believe me." _This can't be happening._

"What does it look like, Aaron?" she asked tersely. "Please, tell me."

"I'm not cheating on you with Haley. I'm not cheating on you at all!"

"Please Aaron," Haley said from where she was leaning against the lockers. "It's all out in the open now. There's no need to lie or worry about sparing her feelings."

"You shut up!" he yelled. Haley's eyes widened for a moment before she quickly schooled her features into a smug look.

"No," Emily said quietly, "Don't shut up. By all means keep talking. Or better yet, go back to what you were doing. I'm sorry for interrupting." Her voice was flat and emotionless, and Aaron could see the tears threatening to fall from those big brown eyes.

"Em," he pleaded. "You have to hear me out." He reached for her hand only to have it yanked away.

"Don't touch me!" she yelled with as much strength as she could muster. She just wanted to go home. "I don't have to do anything for you."

"So you're just going to walk away?" asked Aaron in a broken voice. "You won't even let me explain? I thought we were past that, Emily."

She stood up straight and stared at him with a hatred he hadn't seen since the beginning of the year. "I also thought the Aaron Hotchner that preferred to be with Haley was gone, but I guess we both think some pretty stupid things."

"Emily," he whispered. "Please. I love you."

"If you love me so much why were you kissing _her_?" Emily spat.

"Because he loves me," Haley replied.

"No I don't!" Aaron roared, but Emily didn't hear. She was too busy striding across the hallway to where Haley stood. In once swift moment Emily slapped Haley across the cheek. Haley cried out in pain.

"What, can't take a slap?" Emily hissed.

"Emily, stop!" Aaron cried. He tried to pull her away from Haley only to be greeted with a slap of his own. Images of his father swam in his mind, but he shoved them away to focus on the furious brunette in front of him.

"I hate you, Aaron Hotchner. I wish I never had met you, and I hope you're happy with your pathetic life." With that she took off down the hall at a speed Aaron had never seen her do before. He couldn't catch up with her if he tried.

He wheeled around to face Haley, who was rubbing her cheek with an uncomfortable expression on her face.

"Are you happy now?" he demanded harshly. "Do you feel some kind of pride knowing you just destroyed my life?"

"I could never feel that," Haley whispered. "I did this to show you what you really want: Me."

"No, Haley! That's not what I want! When will you get that through your head?"

Haley reached for his hand, but he pulled it out of reach. Gritting her teeth slightly she lunged for the other hand and grabbed it successfully.

"Listen to me, Aaron. I know that deep down you love me, and you still want to be with me. You may not think that now, but you do. And now we _can_ be together."

"No, we can't because _I_ _don't want to be with you_!" Aaron wrenched his hand out of hers and started to run down the hall. He needed to get out of the damn school and clear his head.

The day had started out so normally. One second he was searching his locker for his book, the next he was being kissed by Haley as she pulled his arms around her. Why did everything have to be ruined so quickly?

* * *

><p>Emily slammed the front door of her house shut behind her and raced up the stairs. She threw herself onto her bed and let the rest of her tears fall.<p>

_Why? _She kept thinking over and over. _Why?_

A few months ago she had been in the same position: Crying on her bed because of Aaron Hotchner. So many things had changed since then, and yet at the same time, nothing had changed.

Emily was grateful no one else was home. She didn't want to deal with all the questions and pity her parents would no doubt give her.

Her phone buzzed on the floor by the door. She must have dropped it in her mad dash to the bed.

"Aaron, go the hell away," she moaned as if he could hear her. He had to be the one calling her.

The buzzing stopped after a moment, and then started again. Groaning, she heaved herself up and grabbed the phone without checking the caller ID.

"Aaron Hotchner, you listen to me right now. I don't want to talk to you ever again. We are done. I hate you, and you can go die in a hole."

"Emily?" a girl's voice whispered in horror. "What happened?"

Emily closed her eyes. _Penelope._

"Pen…" she whispered brokenly.

"I'll be right over," was all she said in return.

Not ten minutes later Emily was opening the door for her best friend.

"Oh Gumdrop," she murmured as she took in Emily's appearance. Her eyes were red and swollen, and her hair was tangled from lying on her bed. Penelope stepped inside the house and hugged her friend tightly.

"What happened?" she asked gently, guiding Emily to sit on the couch in the living room. Taking a deep breath, Emily told her everything from Will in the parking lot to walking in on Aaron and Haley kissing. Penelope stayed quiet the whole time, though her eyes began to water halfway through. When Emily was finished Penelope threw her arms around her and squeezed as hard as she could.

"Oh my god. Emily, I'm so sorry. I never thought Hotch would do something like that…"

"Don't call him Hotch," Emily said suddenly. "He doesn't deserve that nickname."

Penelope nodded sadly. "He's a loser."

"He's more than a loser. He's a jerk, an asshole, and a fake. He's everything that's awful." She let out a humorless laugh. "And to think I loved him. I'm such an idiot."

"Love can make us blind," Penelope said softly. "You're not an idiot for experiencing something as amazing and confusing as love."

"Was it really love? I mean, I know from my side it was, but was it from him as well?"

"I don't know. I know I truly thought he did, especially after Valentine's Day."

"Ugh," Emily moaned. "Don't mention that day to me. It's just a stupid day for stupid couples."

"You seem to forget Derek and I got together on Valentine's Day," Penelope said lightly. Emily closed her eyes.

"Right. Sorry." Suddenly her eyes flew open. "Oh my god. Derek!"

"What?" Penelope asked desperately. "What's wrong with him?"

"He's going to murder Aaron, isn't he?" she asked quietly. Penelope's eyes widened.

"Oh my god, yeah, he is." She looked at Emily nervously. "How do you feel about that?"

Emily sighed. "I don't know. I am really mad at him. More than mad, actually. But I don't think I want him dead." She groaned angrily. "God, even after he breaks my heart I still love him."

"You do?"

"You can't choose who you fall in love with," Emily sighed. "Even if they turn out to be the biggest jerks in the world."

The two girls fell silent for a few minutes. Penelope wrapped her arms around her friend and rubbed her shoulder consolingly. Emily didn't cry though. She had done enough of that to last her a lifetime.

Suddenly Penelope's hands stilled, and she gasped.

"What?" murmured Emily.

"JJ."

Anger flared up inside Emily. "What about her?"

"Well, you said Will was on the phone with her, right?" Penelope asked nervously, her mind churning.

"Yes, Penelope, what you're thinking is true," Emily spat heatedly. "JJ tricked us. She lied to us about 'changing' and all that crap. Will probably didn't even cheat on her. It was all a ploy to get Aaron back to Haley."

"Oh my god," Penelope whispered. "No, that can't be right."

"It is!" Emily cried exasperatedly. "Where is she now? Did you see her after school?"

"No," Penelope replied quietly. "She said she had a family thing."

"Family thing my ass. She's with Will right now!"

"Em, I know you're upset," Penelope said gently, "But do you think you could have heard Will wrong?"

"Try calling her."

Penelope pressed her lips together and dialed JJ's number. It rang a few times before going to voicemail. Penelope's eyes watered as she looked up at Emily.

"They played us," Emily said hollowly. "Both of them."

* * *

><p>JJ walked out of the Italian restaurant her family rented for the night and rubbed her temples. Her family could be so aggravating sometimes. With the constant fighting and pressure to get into a good college, JJ always ended up with a massive headache after family functions, which explained the one she had now.<p>

Settling into the back of her parents' SUV, she slipped her hand inside the pouch on the back of the driver's seat and pulled out her phone. Her parents, who were now arguing quietly in the front seats, forbade her from bringing her phone in. This crushed her hopes of texting Penelope throughout the night. She had been hoping the other blonde could cheer her up.

JJ's eyes widened when she saw the fifteen texts piled up in her inbox. All were from Aaron. She also noticed a missed call from Penelope, though there was no voicemail.

Opening the first text, she read, _Haley kissed me. Emily saw. She hates me now. Call me when you get this._

Her mouth fell open at that, and it continued to drop as she read the rest of the messages. They all said the same thing: Haley made it look like Aaron was cheating on Emily, and she broke up with him.

_This is crazy, _she thought, her mind spinning. _Haley's gone too far._

As soon as the car pulled into her driveway, JJ leapt out of the car and jumped into her own. It took her a second to grab her keys from her purse, but she had them.

"Just where do you think you're going?" Mrs. Jareau asked with a frown.

"Friend emergency. Aaron needs me." JJ's parents liked Aaron, and sure enough they both nodded their approval. She pulled out of her driveway and sped down the street, pressing the speed dial number for Aaron as she did.

"I'm guessing you got my texts," Aaron grumbled when he picked up. "It's about damn time."

JJ recoiled slightly at the anger in his voice. "Y-yeah, I did. I'm sorry I didn't get back to you earlier, but my parents wouldn't let me bring my phone into the restaurant. What happened?"

Aaron told her everything, and JJ felt her heart break as she listened. He sounded completely broken. It was like his world had been flipped upside down.

_Well, it has, _she reminded herself.

"That bitch," she said aloud when he finished.

"I know," he said tiredly. "I just want all this drama to end."

"It will," she assured him. "I'm on my way to Emily's now. I'll talk to her and tell her everything."

"What if she doesn't listen to you?" he asked quietly. "I can't lose her, JJ. I just can't."

"She will," JJ replied firmly. "Just trust me. Emily will be calling you by the end of the night."

"I hope you're right," Aaron said softly.

* * *

><p>When JJ knocked on Emily's front door, she didn't expect Derek to be the one answering the door. She also didn't expect to see a scowl on his face.<p>

"What?" he growled. JJ took a step back.

"Okay, nice to see you too. I heard about what happened today. Hotch's absolutely crushed, and-"

"He should be," Derek spat. "After what he did."

JJ blinked in surprise. "Look, I know what really happened, so if you let me explain-"

"There's no need," Derek said coldly. "We know what's been going on."

"You do?" JJ frowned. "Then why do you sound like you hate Hotch?"

"Because I do. He broke Emily's heart, and when I see him Monday I'm going to make him wish he was dead."

"Wait, what?" JJ asked in horror. "Derek, listen to me. Haley set everything up! It was a scam!"

"Stop trying to cover your ass!" Derek yelled. JJ physically recoiled.

"What?"

"We know. We know about you and Will sneaking around behind our backs. We know you knew _Aaron_," JJ winced at how Derek didn't use the nickname, "was cheating on Emily."

"What the hell are you talking about? I'm not with Will! I didn't know about _Hotch_ and Haley because there is no Hotch and Haley!"

"Just shut up JJ," a voice inside the house said. JJ craned her neck to see Emily standing in the doorway of the living room. A blanket was wrapped around her pajama clad shoulders. Behind her JJ could see Spencer and Penelope. Neither of them would meet her eyes.

"Emily," JJ whispered. "Listen to me."

"No," the brunette said harshly. "I'm tired of listening to the lies you and Aaron tell. I'm tired of being the butt of the joke. I heard Will talking to you on the phone today. That's where you were all night, wasn't it?"

"I told you," JJ cried desperately. "I had a family thing."

"I'm sure you did." Emily's voice was sarcastic, and JJ's eyes began to water.

"You guys have to believe me," she said one last time.

"Go home, JJ," a quiet voice said. It wasn't Derek or Emily, but Spencer. He stepped into the light of the front hallway, and JJ's heart broke when she saw the utter sadness in his eyes.

"Spence," she whispered. His eyes hardened a bit.

"Only my friends call me that, and you're not a friend."

"Goodbye, JJ," Emily muttered before turning back into the living room with Spencer. Derek just shook his head in disgust before slamming the door in JJ's face.

Her chest began to constrict, and JJ slowly stepped off the porch. She climbed back into her car and fumbled with her keys in an attempt to start the car. The keys slipped from her grasp and landed on the floor in front of the passenger seat. That was when the tears finally fell from JJ's eyes.

_How did all this happen? _She wondered miserably. _How?_

**A/N: Before everyone gets mad about how Emily and the team didn't hear them out, try to think about it from their perspective. Back at the beginning of the year, Aaron and JJ were jerks who didn't really care about the team. And even though they really did change, a part of the team was still nervous about the possiblity of Aaron and JJ going back to the way they were, so in their minds it was almost inevitable. All it took was a little bit of doubt.**

**Okay, so if you don't hate me completely NOW, please leave a review! We are approaching the end. I know how many more chapters there will be, but I don't know if I'm going to do an epilogue. I have an idea for it, but it depends on what you think. Do you guys want to see an epilogue? Let me know! =)**


	41. Starting To Fix Things

**A/N: I'm sorry if the team's reactions ruined part of the story for anyone, but that was the way I needed it to go. I hope this chapter fixes things and I hope everyone will continue to read. Things are going to get better REALLY soon, and I would hate for anyone to miss that. I love each and every one of you, and I thank you for all your support. =)**

BAU High School

Chapter 41: Starting To Fix Things

Saturday morning JJ drove over to Aaron's house in a daze. She still couldn't wrap her brain around what had happened the day before. It was too impossible to fathom.

After leaving Emily's house JJ returned back home and slipped upstairs without talking to her parents. She didn't want to deal with the millions of questions surrounding her tear streaked face.

As soon as she woke up on Saturday she grabbed her keys and took off for Aaron's place. They needed to talk about what was going to happen next.

"Open up, Aaron," JJ said through the door after knocking several times.

"Could you keep it down?" he grumbled when he finally opened the door. "Sean's still sleeping."

"Where are your parents?"

"Dad has a breakfast with his law firm today, and Mom went with him." JJ studied Aaron thoughtfully.

"You look like hell." And he did. It was obvious he got no sleep the night before, and if JJ wasn't mistaken, his eyes were rimmed in red, which mean he had been crying. Aaron Hotchner never cried unless something really serious happened. This wasn't good.

"You're one to talk," he shot back. JJ hadn't brushed her hair this morning, and her eyes were red as well.

"Are you going to let me in?" she asked angrily. Aaron rolled his eyes and stepped aside. JJ walked straight into the spacious living room and flopped onto the couch.

"By all means, make yourself at home," he said sarcastically. He dropped onto the floor and leaned up against the couch. The two fell silent for a while before JJ broke the silence.

"What are we going to do?" she asked softly. Her voice was small and timid.

Aaron sighed. "Is there anything_ to_ do?"

"Of course there is! We have to convince them that we aren't lying to them!"

"And how do we do that, huh? They won't even talk to us, much less listen to what we have to say."

JJ sat up and glared at her friend. "How can you be so accepting of this? Do you love Emily at all?"

For the first time that morning JJ got an actual emotional response from Aaron. His face twisted into a look of complete anger, and he sat up so he could face her better.

"Of course I do! I love her more than anything I've ever loved before! I would rather die than be separated from her."

"Well then, I guess we better start planning your funeral because she wants nothing to do with you now."

Aaron slumped back up against the couch and let his head fall back. "I know."

"This is all Haley's fault," JJ whispered after a while. "She just can't accept that we're happier without her."

"I want to show her that she doesn't own us," Aaron muttered tersely. "I'm not going to lose Emily because of this!"

"Then we need a plan," JJ said bluntly. "And fast."

* * *

><p>Emily barely left her bedroom that weekend. She just didn't have the energy to do anything. Her mother was actually more sympathetic than Emily thought she would be. She let Emily mope around for the weekend.<p>

When Monday morning rolled around, Emily knew she had to get up. She wasn't going to turn into those whiny girls who did nothing but cry. She didn't want to give Haley and Aaron the satisfaction of seeing her weak and heartbroken.

However, this didn't mean she had to actually be around Aaron. The first thing she did upon entering Chemistry was ask for a new seat. At first Mr. Danielson said no, but then he saw the look on Emily's face and allowed her to take an empty chair in the back.

She kept her eyes trained on her notebook in front of her when Aaron walked in. She didn't want to see the cocky smirk that would no doubt be on his face, and she only looked up once class officially started.

When she finally allowed her gaze to fall upon Aaron, her heart broke all over again. He looked like he hadn't slept all weekend.

Not for the first time, Emily wondered if she had been too harsh. Should she have tried to hear him out? When she saw him with Haley, the only thing on her mind had been complete anger towards him. She couldn't think straight. As the weekend progressed, however, she began to doubt her decision to break up with him.

_Talk to him, _her mind urged. _You should at least try to hear him out. _Nodding to herself, she vowed to talk to him once class ended.

The bell rang forty-five minutes later, and Emily stood up hesitantly. _Here goes nothing, _she thought. She had barely taken two steps when a girl flew into the classroom.

"Hey, baby!" Haley cried as she flung her arms around Aaron and pulled him into a kiss. Emily didn't see what happened after that.

She ran from the classroom as fast as she could.

* * *

><p>Aaron stormed through the hallways as he made his way to History. He was shocked when Haley ran into his Chemistry classroom to kiss him. Actually, he was more than shocked.<p>

He was furious.

Her lips had been on his for barely a second when he shoved her away. She tried to reach for him again, but he sprinted out of the room and turned down a side hallway in a desperate attempt to get away from her.

What was she thinking? Did she have some sort of idea that they were a couple again? Or was it to just humiliate Emily even more? Haley knew full well that she was in that class, and Aaron had a feeling she witnessed the kiss. Now she would definitely think he had been cheating on her.

Aaron resisted the urge to punch a locker. This was all so messed up. His life had been flipped upside down in one day. One stupid moment where his guard was down led to all this.

He had taken two steps into his History room when something hit him: He had nowhere to sit. For the past few months he sat next to Derek, but judging by the way the dark-skinned boy was glaring at him, it was clear he wasn't welcome over there.

"Hey, Aaron!" a voice called from the back of the room. Frowning, Aaron turned to see Will waving at him like they were still best friends. JJ sat close to him, though not right next to him. She half-heartedly patted the desk between her and Will. Aaron reluctantly walked over and dropped into the seat.

"I had no choice," she whispered. Aaron only nodded.

The class dragged on forever, and it didn't help that Will kept trying to talk to him the whole time. It was like Aaron had been transported back in time several months, and he and Will were best friends and he was dating Haley.

He couldn't stand it.

As soon as the bell rang he grabbed JJ's arm and yanked her out of the room. He could feel Derek's glare on them as they left, and Aaron heard Will yell, "See you two at lunch!"

"I'd rather eat in the bathroom," JJ muttered furiously.

Aaron only gave a grunt in response as they rushed through the halls, and after a minute or so JJ frowned.

"Where are we going? We obviously can't go to the library."

"We're going to find someone who can help," Aaron said. In a few minutes they were standing outside Rossi's office.

"Coach Rossi?" she asked.

"He's like my dad," Aaron replied with a shrug as he knocked on the door.

"Come in," the coach called.

Rossi's eyebrows went up a bit when he saw Aaron and JJ. "I was wondering when you two would show up."

"How did you know we would come?" Aaron asked quizzically. Rossi smiled sadly.

"I ran into Emily this morning," he started. Aaron closed his eyes and groaned softly. "I figured you two would come and tell your side of the story," Rossi continued.

"We need your help," JJ said quietly. Rossi gestured to the two chairs in front of his desk.

"What did Emily tell you?" Aaron asked hesitantly as he took a seat next to JJ.

Rossi sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "She told me that you cheated on her and JJ lied to everyone." He looked Aaron straight in the eye. "Now, I know you, Aaron. You would never do that." He turned to JJ. "I don't think you would lie either, so why don't you two tell me what _really _happened?"

The two teenagers told the coach the terrible story, starting from Will in the parking lot to the way Haley and Will acted that morning. Rossi was silent the whole way through, only nodding when he needed to. When they finished they waited for him to speak.

"Looks like you've got a problem," he finally said.

"We know that, thanks," Aaron said sarcastically. Rossi ignored the attitude for the moment.

"As I understand it, Haley's had it out for Emily since her first day here. It's obvious Haley wouldn't take your break-up well. She must have been planning this for a long time."

"She just can't understand we want nothing to do with her," JJ said exasperatedly.

"Haley's the kind of person who doesn't like change," Rossi stated. "She also likes to be in control of a situation. When you broke up with her, Aaron, she wasn't in control and everything she knew was changing. It was too much for her."

"And now she's decided to take back control by ruining mine and Emily's relationship," Aaron said determinedly.

"Hey, don't forget she's ruined our relationships with _everyone_," JJ said heatedly. "Spencer could hardly look at me this morning in English Lit!"

"This is worse than I thought," Rossi said. "No one is talking to either of you?"

"They won't listen to anything we have to say," JJ said sadly.

"That's not fair."

"Tell me about it," Aaron muttered.

"But you have to understand where they're coming from." At JJ and Aaron's hurt expressions Rossi continued. "I don't mean to offend you, but ever since you've known all of them, you've done nothing but hurt them. Then you miraculously change, and while they're happy about it, a part of them is still wary and nervous. It's like they're waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"He's right," JJ said faintly.

Aaron bit his lip. "Okay, I guess I agree. But how do we convince them we _have _changed and this is all a huge misunderstanding?"

"That's going to be hard if they won't talk to you," Rossi mused.

"That's why we came to you," JJ said hopefully. "Maybe _you _could talk to them."

Rossi smiled sadly. "I've tried, kiddo. It didn't work."

"Wait, what do you mean?"

"When Emily told me about what happened, I tried to tell her you two would never do that."

"And what did she say?" Aaron pressed. Rossi winced slightly.

"She said, 'Well, he did, so believe it.'"

Aaron closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. "This is a nightmare."

Rossi opened his mouth to respond when a loud beeping could be heard from outside the office. He swore under his breath and rummaged around his desk for a piece of paper.

"What was that?" JJ asked.

"Damn security camera," Rossi murmured. He pulled out a blank piece of paper from underneath some notebooks and scribbled something onto it. "There's several all over the school. The battery is almost out in the one outside my office, and it won't stop beeping."

"Can't you just get some new batteries?" JJ asked in confusion.

"Principal Strauss says I have to write a formal request for them. It's complete BS."

JJ asked Rossi something else, but Aaron wasn't listening. He was focused on something the coach said. _All over the school…_

"How many cameras are there in the school?" Aaron asked suddenly. Rossi and JJ looked at him in surprise.

"Uh, I don't know the exact number. Why?"

"Is there one by my locker?" Aaron asked desperately.

"Maybe. Why?" Rossi asked again.

"That was where Haley kissed me. If there's a camera there, then we can prove our innocence!" Aaron cried excitedly.

"That's genius!" JJ said happily.

"It is, but there's one problem," Rossi said with a frown. "Strauss is the only person with access to those cameras, and I severely doubt she'll let you poke through the footage." JJ and Aaron exchanged glances.

"What if we had someone who could?"

* * *

><p>"Are you sure she'll be here?" Aaron asked JJ at the end of the day. They were on their way to the computer lab in the hopes of tracking down the best computer hacker in the school.<p>

"Positive. She told me this is where she goes after school every Monday and Thursday." She glanced over her shoulder. "Okay, not that I don't appreciate the support, but why is Coach Rossi with us?"

"For just in case. If she refuses to help us, he can make her because he's technically a teacher."

JJ smiled slightly. "That's going to make her _so _happy."

Aaron shrugged. "We need her help."

The school's computer lab was in the basement. There were stairs nearby the gym leading down to it. Not many students liked to go down there, but for the kids who specialized in technology, it was just like home.

Aaron held the door open for JJ and Rossi before entering himself. Most of the computers that lined the concrete walls were taken. The kids closest to the door looked up when they heard the door open. Their eyes widened when they saw the great Aaron Hotchner and Jennifer Jareau standing in their precious lab, but the people in question paid no attention. They were too busy scanning the room for their friend. Former friend, unfortunately.

"There," JJ said suddenly, nudging Aaron. "In the corner."

Sitting with her back to them playing an online game was Penelope Garcia, computer extraordinaire.

"Be cautious," Rossi warned as the three of them approached Penelope. "She's still very upset about this whole thing, and she won't take seeing you very well."

Aaron nodded and gestured for JJ to go first. The two girls had gotten very close before everything fell apart, and he had a feeling Penelope would hit him if she saw him first.

"Penelope?" JJ said cautiously, gently tapping the other blonde on the shoulder. Penelope turned around with a smile that disappeared as soon as she saw JJ.

"Go away," she said shakily, turning back to her game immediately. JJ winced.

"Please, Penelope, just hear us out," she begged. Penelope spun around to face them.

"Why? Why should I hear either of you out after you betrayed us, hmm? Give me one good reason."

"You believe that everyone should be given an equal chance in things, and letting us talk would do that," JJ said calmly. Penelope opened her mouth to argue, and then closed it again.

"Fine," she pouted. "Speak."

"Actually, we can do one better than that," Aaron said. "We can show you what really happened last Friday, but we need your help."

Penelope's eyes narrowed. "How can you do that?"

"There are security cameras all over the school," JJ explained. "If there's one by Aaron's locker, we can show you what happened there, but we need you to hack it."

"I don't know if I can do that," Penelope said hesitantly.

"Oh come on, of course you can," JJ said encouragingly.

"Okay, I totally can, but why should I? I could get in serious trouble if I get caught."

"Well, for one thing, when has that ever stopped you before?" JJ asked.

"And secondly, I can vouch for you," Rossi added. Penelope still looked on the fence.

"Please, Penelope," Aaron begged softly. "I need to show Emily I would never cheat in her, and this is the only way."

Penelope was taken aback by his sincerity, so she nodded and turned back to the computer. Typing fast, she hacked into the school's mainframe in no time.

"Okay, what am I looking for?"

"There should be a file with the footage from the cameras," Rossi supplied. Penelope nodded and began searching the system's archives.

"Got it," she said after a minute. Her eyes widened as various camera names filled the screen. "Wow, that's a lot of cameras. Guess our dear principal doesn't trust us. Which one is the one we need?"

Aaron frowned and leaned closer to the screen. "There," he said, pointing to one labeled "East Wing Floor Two." Penelope double-clicked it and watched as even more files popped up.

"Okay, now what?"

"That one," he said nervously, pointing to a video from last Friday. This was it: The one thing that could clear his name.

The video started from the very beginning of the day. Aaron saw himself go to his locker before Chemistry. His chest tightened when he saw Emily by his side. She told him something, and he threw his head back laughing.

JJ glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. She could see the pain etched clearly on his face, and her own heart broke for him. Turning back to Penelope, she said, "We need the end of the day."

The computer goddess nodded and fast-forwarded the entire day. Eventually Aaron called for a stop, and the video showed an empty hallway. A few seconds later Aaron hurried into the frame and went straight to his locker. A moment later Haley walked up with his book in her hand.

Penelope watched the scene unfolded before her eyes. Her eyes widened when she saw Aaron attempt to walk away, and then gasped out loud when Haley forced her lips on his. She stopped the video when Emily walked up, unable to see any more.

"Now do you understand?" JJ asked quietly. Aaron had his eyes closed in an attempt not to see the part where Emily walked up.

Penelope turned to the two teenagers with tears in her eyes. In a split second she threw her arms around JJ and hugged her tightly.

"I _knew _you two would never do that!" she cried. "Okay, I'll admit, I had my suspicions, but I hoped you guys wouldn't, and you didn't!" She pulled away from JJ and grabbed Aaron, earning a small smile in the process.

"Well, I'm glad this got sorted out," Rossi said cheerfully.

"Now we just have to show everyone else," JJ said.

"Wait, now?" Penelope asked.

"Why not now?" Aaron asked, desperate to have his Emily back.

"It's just," Penelope answered, "Haley did all this. She's the reason we've been through so much crap this year."

"Yeah, and?" JJ prompted.

Penelope's eyes shone mischievously. "I want to take her down."

"Who are you, and what have you done with Penelope Garcia?" JJ asked in awe. "You never want revenge on someone."

"This is different," Penelope insisted. "Haley's messed with everybody for too long. We need to do something huge with this."

"What do you have in mind?" Aaron asked interestedly.

"What does she want more than anything else in the world?" Penelope asked. She looked at JJ. "Come on, you were her best friend for years. What does she want right now?"

Realization dawned on JJ. "To be Prom Queen with Aaron as her King." Aaron grimaced at that.

Penelope smiled. "I have a plan, but it's going to involve both of you playing into her messed-up fantasy. Are you guys in?"

Aaron smiled back. "As long as I get Emily back, I'll do anything." JJ nodded in agreement.

Rossi smiled at the scheming teens. "Looks like you've got some planning to do."


	42. Prom

**A/N: Alright, here we are. I know you've all been waiting for this chapter, so here it is. We're not done with this story, but if my calculations are correct we have only 2 chapter left after this one. ='( I know, it's crazy. This means that you're running out of chances to review, so when you're done reading let me know what you thought! I really want to know! =)**

BAU High School

Chapter 42: Prom

The weeks began to fly by leading up to prom, and within that time the school went through many changes. The most notable was Aaron Hotchner and Haley Brooks getting back together. No one forgot their break-up back in January; it seemed then they would never date again. Everyone was proven wrong when they walked into school together arm and arm one Monday in April.

Jennifer Jareau and Will LaMontange also reconnected, and that was almost a bigger shock than Aaron and Haley. Word had spread about Will cheating back in January, and many people thought JJ was an idiot for going back to him at first. That quickly changed when they realized that one more relationship was repaired: JJ and Haley.

The school's two mean girls were back on top, and they didn't hesitate to show it. Well, Haley didn't. It seemed like JJ was more withdrawn during her friend's rampages throughout the school.

Aaron and JJ's former friends hated to see them return to their old ways. It pained Emily the most to see Aaron kiss Haley in the hall after Chemistry and see him and JJ sitting far away from her and Spencer in the library.

_You're the one that broke up with him, _she reminded herself over and over. And while she knew it was true, that didn't mean it hurt any less.

If there was any person in the school more depressed than Emily, it was Aaron. He knew Penelope's plan involved him pretending to love Haley again, but it was awful. He quickly realized there was no bringing back those long lost feelings; they were gone. He couldn't say he hated her, but he certainly wasn't happy with his situation. It hurt him to see Emily sitting so close to him in Chemistry, yet refusing to look or talk to him. It was eating away at him to know he caused her pain indirectly, and he longed to pull her into his arms and tell her everything.

But if they wanted to finally end Haley's reign of terror, he had to keep pretending. He was once more the dutiful boyfriend of Haley Brooks, and she wouldn't have it any other way. She wasted no time showing him off to the school. He was the Big Guy on campus again within a few days of getting back together with Haley. It didn't help that his father was overly happy about them dating again.

Every day after school, Aaron ran up to his room and pulled out a calendar from underneath his bed. He was counting down the days to prom, until the day he could finally reunite with Emily and his friends. In the weeks leading up to that day, his only source of happiness was JJ being in the same situation as him and crossing off another day on the calendar.

No one in the school thought something crazy would happen that day. They all thought they knew what was going to happen: Aaron and Haley would be named King and Queen and everyone else would have to pretend to be happy for them. The team was no different, though they may have suspected something if they noticed the sly grins Penelope sometimes offered Aaron and JJ when no one was paying attention.

Oh yes, Thomas Jefferson High School was in for a surprise.

* * *

><p>The weekend before prom Penelope drove over to Emily's house and knocked on her door impatiently. It opened a minute later revealing an annoyed Emily.<p>

"Yes?" she asked grumpily.

"Get dressed," Penelope said excitedly, ignoring her friend's annoyance.

"Why?" Emily asked curiously.

"We need dresses for prom," Penelope said as though it should be obvious. Emily winced.

"Oh, Pen, I wasn't going to go to prom," she hedged. Penelope frowned.

"Of course you are!" she cried. "This is our senior prom! You only get one of those, and I'm not missing ours because you don't like school functions."

Emily raised her eyebrows. "That's not the only reason I don't want to go. I don't," she sighed unhappily, "I don't want to see _him_ with Haley. You know they're gonna win King and Queen, and I'd rather not see the entire school pretend to love them. It's sickening."

Penelope's heart went out to her friend, and she wished she could tell Emily right then and there about the plan. But she couldn't, not when Aaron and JJ had already sacrificed so much for it. Besides, it would be all worth it once Emily was back with Aaron.

"That doesn't mean you can spend next Friday night sulking," Penelope said instead. "If you don't come, that means Haley won. She'll be looking for you, and when she doesn't see you there she'll know she crushed you."

"But she did," Emily said weakly. "She won. She has Aaron, and he seems to be the one determining who wins."

"You can't give up!"

"I'm sorry, Pen," Emily said sadly. "But I can't go." With that she gave her friend a tentative small and disappeared back into her house.

* * *

><p>"She won't come!" Penelope whispered loudly into her phone. On the other line was Aaron and JJ.<p>

"Why not?" JJ asked.

"She thinks Haley's already won and there's no point in going. She doesn't want to see her all over Aaron."

"I hate this," Aaron sighed angrily. "She _needs _to come."

"What about the rest of the team?" JJ asked after patting Aaron consolingly on the back.

"Well, Derek has no choice. He _has _to come. As for the boy wonder, I think he's still debating."

"Spencer has to come," JJ urged. "I need him back in my life." She said the last part without thinking, earning a surprised look from Aaron and a huge grin at the phone from Penelope.

"Wait, I have an idea," Aaron said suddenly. "Tell him that Emily won't go unless he goes, and tell her that Spencer won't go if he doesn't."

"Will that work?" JJ asked.

"Yeah," Penelope said excitedly. "Emily wants Spence to experience high school like the rest of us, and that includes prom. Plus, Spencer just wants Em to be happy."

"There you go," Aaron said, relived they avoided the small problem.

"Don't worry, my friends," Penelope said happily. "Everything will be fixed next week."

"We hope you're right, Penelope," JJ said with a glance at Aaron. He looked so sad nowadays, but JJ and Penelope were the only people to notice. "It _has_ to be fixed."

* * *

><p>That week sped by, and before long the day was here: Prom. The excitement in the school was nearly palpable. Girls were getting last minute fashion advice from friends, and boys were comparing dates with each other. Haley could only talk about prom and nothing else, and as her fake best friend, JJ had to listen.<p>

The only person in the school completely ignorant to everything going on was Emily. To her it was just another Friday. That was why she was stunned to find Penelope standing on her doorstep a few hours before prom with a garment bag over her arm.

"What's that?" Emily asked suspiciously. Penelope just smiled.

"Your dress for prom."

Emily closed her eyes. "Penelope! I told you I don't want to go!"

"And I obviously didn't listen." Penelope pouted. "If you don't go, Spencer's gonna walk right back out."

Emily raised her eyebrows. "Spencer's going?"

"Yes, and he wants you to be there," Penelope said softly. "Please?"

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine." She stepped aside to allow her squealing friend in.

"Come on! We don't have a lot of time, and you need to look perfect."

"Why me?" Emily asked as she followed her friend up the stairs. "You need to look perfect too."

"I'm not trying to show someone how amazing I am."

"What about Derek?"

Penelope paused for a second. "Alright, I'm not trying to show someone I'm doing great without them."

Emily winced slightly. "Pen…"

"Don't even go there, Em." Penelope dragged her over to her bed and sat her down. Racing over to Emily's nightstand, she brought over some hair products and brushes. "We are going to make you stunning."

* * *

><p>"Derek, remind me why I'm going to this again?" Spencer asked from where he stood in the older boy's bedroom. It was a few hours before prom, and Derek had demanded that Spencer go.<p>

"Because you're only in high school once, and you deserve to experience this," Derek said briskly as he adjusted his bow tie. He rented a suit just like every other senior boy in their school.

"Please," Spencer muttered, "I'm hardly like anyone else in the grade. I don't fit in." He sat down on Derek's bed with a heavy sigh.

"Hey now," Derek said with a frown. He walked over to his best friend and sat down next to him. "You fit in just fine. You've proven that you are as much of a senior as anyone else. Don't forget that."

"If I was just like everyone else, why did I get beat up so much?" Spencer asked dejectedly.

"Because those people who beat you up are idiots. They don't know the real Spencer Reid like I do. Like Penelope does, or like Emily does. They missed out on having a great friend."

Spencer smiled softly. "Thanks, Derek."

"Anytime, kid," Derek said affectionately. He ruffled the younger boy's to make him smile even more. "Now let's get moving. Penelope's gonna kill me if we're late."

* * *

><p>"Haley, listen to me," JJ said exasperatedly. "You look fine."<p>

"How can I know for sure?" Haley pouted. "I only have your opinion."

Taking a deep breath, JJ clenched her hands into fists and resisted the urge to punch the blonde in front of her. "If you're so worried, send a picture to Aaron."

"Then he won't be surprised!"

"Then don't worry about it!" JJ cried. Haley frowned.

"Geez, what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," JJ sighed as she checked her blonde curls in the mirror. For this occasion she decided to change her normally straight hair. "I'm just worried for tonight."

Haley looked confused. "Why? It's not like you have to worry about being Queen." Realization dawned on her face. "Oh, it's about Will, isn't it? This is one of the first times you'll be together after that stupid misunderstanding, right?"

"Right," JJ lied. "That's exactly it."

_If only you knew…_

* * *

><p>Aaron straightened his tie for what felt like the millionth time. It was almost time to pick up Haley, and he was beyond nervous. Not about facing Haley, he could do that just fine. He was nervous about the plan coming together. What if it didn't work? What if Emily still didn't believe him? What if after tonight he was still with Haley?<p>

If all that happened, there was no way around it: He was going to dump Haley as soon as he could. The way he saw it was if he wasn't with Emily, there was no point of being with anyone.

Aaron's phone buzzed, tearing him away from his worries. It was Will letting him know he was on his way to pick up JJ.

Aaron sighed and made his way downstairs. His parents were out with friends, and Sean was over their cousin's house. He paused for a moment to savor the silence of the still house before heading out to his car.

It was show time.

* * *

><p>Prom was in full swing by the time Emily, Penelope, Spencer, and Derek arrived. Students were gyrating and having a great time on the dance floor. The decorations were similar to the Winter Formal, only the streamers hanging from the ceiling were orange and red. Tables once again circled the dance floor, and by the front stood a stage. That was where the King and Queen would be announced in an hour.<p>

Emily tugged at her dress for the billionth time, though Penelope caught her. She grabbed the brunette's hands and pinned them to her sides.

"Stop fidgeting," she scolded.

"Sorry," Emily sighed. "I can't help it. I'm nervous."

Penelope's eyes softened. She knew Emily wasn't looking forward to facing Aaron, which was why the blonde was going to do everything in her power to make sure she was never alone. At least until the plan was officially set in motion, though that wasn't for another hour or so.

"Don't be," Penelope said softly. "You look amazing."

"She's right," Spencer said with a smile. Emily smiled back.

"Thanks, Spence." The Haley-Aaron incident wasn't only having an effect on her. Spencer was heart-broken to discover his new best friend and crush had deceived them in the worst way possible. If it wasn't for Emily, Penelope, and Derek, poor Spencer would have gone off the deep end in some way.

"Alright, we can't just stand here," Penelope said dramatically. "Come on, guys, it's our prom! Let's have fun!"

Derek took his girlfriend's hands in his and dragged her to the edge of the dance floor. "Okay, then let's dance!" He began to twirl her around the small space, much to her delight. Emily found herself smiling. Maybe she could have some fun tonight.

Her smile disappeared when she saw him. To both her anger and small pleasure, he looked beyond gorgeous. His black tux complemented his dark hair perfectly. He was smiling at something someone said, and Emily's heart broke to see his dimples come out. Haley was next to him wearing a short, tight dress as usual. She brought his hands to her waist and leaned up to kiss him. Emily tore her eyes away from the awful sight.

Spencer followed her gaze and saw Aaron and Haley. He knew JJ had to be close to them, and though he wanted to see how she looked, he couldn't see her with Will. Turning back to Emily, he nudged her with his shoulder.

"Do you want to dance?" he asked shyly. Emily smiled.

"Sure." She let him lead her over to where Derek and Penelope were still dancing.

_Fun, _she told herself. _Have fun._

* * *

><p>Aaron's face was beginning to hurt from fake-smiling so much. He wasn't having any fun, and by looking at JJ he had a feeling she wasn't enjoying herself either.<p>

He almost lost it when Emily walked in with her friends. She looked amazing. Her dress was a pale pink, and it clung to her body perfectly. The hemline fell to mid-calf, and the straps were thin and beaded. Her hair was curled and pulled back into a low ponytail with a few tendrils framing her face. Her silver heels from the Winter Formal were on her feet.

To say she looked beautiful was an understatement.

JJ followed her friend's gaze and saw their former friends walk in. Emily looked beautiful, as did Penelope. Derek looked very handsome as well. Spencer though… He certainly did not look like a fourteen-year-old. His tux fit him perfectly, giving off a vibe that he was older than he really was. JJ impressed.

She was also sad that she wouldn't be able to tell him that just yet.

Turning her head slightly, she strained through the semi-darkness to see the clock on the far wall. Could they still be a little less than an hour away from the announcing of King and Queen? She was growing very impatient.

Feeling someone's eyes on her, she turned back around and saw Aaron watching her closely. He glanced at the clock as well before looking back at her. He looked just as impatient as she did.

"Soon," she mouthed, trying to put his mind at ease. She knew it was killing him to be away from Emily.

Aaron nodded in acknowledgment before glancing back at Emily. She was dancing with Spencer next to Penelope and Derek. She was laughing, though he could have sworn there was some sadness in her features.

Aaron suddenly felt like it was the Winter Formal all over again. He was definitely in the same position: dancing with Haley while sneaking peeks at Emily and wishing he was with her.

He was angry with himself. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He should have been able to ask Emily to prom in some special ways like all the movies did. He should have been with her from the start of the night, not joining her halfway through.

_If even that. _He had to remind himself of the chance that this wouldn't work. He didn't know why it wouldn't, but he had to prepare himself in case it didn't.

_It better, _he thought as Haley pulled him in for yet another kiss.

* * *

><p>The next hour passed by slowly for everyone. Aaron and JJ resented every minute they were away from their friends, and the team hated seeing Aaron and JJ with their old friends.<p>

Finally Principal Strauss walked up to the microphone on the stage and called everyone to attention. Haley stood up straight beside Aaron and squeezed his hand while he made a silent prayer in his head. Penelope fidgeted with the flash drive she had hidden in the secret pocket in her dress.

Show time.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," Strauss started, always formal. "This has been a long year, and while I know your parents are looking forward to graduation, this is what you've been waiting for all year." She paused as the crowd let out a cheer. "Well, the night is far from over, but it is time to announce this year's Prom King and Queen." A girl from the student council ran up and handed Strauss an envelope.

Strauss was never one for beating around the bush, so she immediately tore open the envelope and slid out a piece of paper. "Your Prom King is… Aaron Hotchner."

That surprised no one, and Haley screamed the loudest as Aaron stiffly made his way to the front of the room. Hands clapped him on the back, and people shouted their congratulations, though he heard none of it. There was only one thing on his mind now: Emily.

Strauss smiled thinly at him as she handed him a stupid plastic crown. He begrudgingly set it on his head and turned to face the crowd. Everyone was watching him, but he was looking for one person only.

She stood in the far back with the rest of the team. Her arms were crossed, and he could see the frown on her face quite clearly.

Emily pursed her lips as Aaron made his way to the stage and tried to ignore the dull pain her felt in her gut. She felt no surprise whatsoever in him winning. How could he not? He was the most popular boy in school. Everyone loved him, though that was partially because they didn't know his true self.

Strauss was about to grab the second envelope for Queen when something unexpected happened. Aaron turned to the side of the stage and yelled, "Now, Penelope!"

Emily furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Penelope? As in Garcia? Looking around, she was surprised to see her blonde friend nowhere in sight. Derek looked just as confused.

"What the heck?" she heard Spencer say. Spinning around, Emily watched as a projector screen normally used for things like pep rallies descended from the ceiling. Sitting at the corner of the stage was Penelope typing away on her trusty laptop.

A video appeared on the screen. It took Emily several seconds to figure out what it was, but it was the hallway with Aaron's locker. The date in the corner told her it was the day she discovered him kissing Haley.

_Are they going to make me relieve it? _She thought in horror. She didn't know why Penelope would be involved though.

Aaron appeared on the screen, running straight to his locker. The gym was silent as they watched him dig through the locker. Haley came next, walking innocently up to Aaron. At first everyone thought this was after they got back together, but they soon realized it wasn't when they saw how eager Aaron was to get away.

Every single person in the room gasped as one when they saw Haley forcibly grab Aaron and kiss him. Nobody could claim it was a consensual kiss.

A few girls moaned when Emily stormed in, but Penelope stopped the video right there to prevent her friend any possible humiliation. The people surrounding Haley stepped away as fast as they could. She looked beyond furious.

Aaron was dying to see her expression, but there was one person he needed to see more. While everyone had been focused on the video, he had watched Emily's face. His gaze never wavered. He watched as realization dawned on her face when she figured out the date, then as her mouth fell open when she saw Haley grab him. Tears began to pool up in her brown eyes.

_Finally._

He stepped off of the stage and began to walk towards her. The crowd parted when they saw him coming, allowing him to go straight up to her.

Emily met his eyes when he came to a stop a few feet in front of her. Her mouth was still hanging open slightly, and her eyes shone with unshed tears.

"Now do you understand?" he asked softly. A tear slipped down her pale face.

"You were telling the truth," she whispered in awe. "Or you were trying to. I didn't let you say anything." Another tear fell. "Oh my god, Aaron, I'm so sorry for not hearing you out. I was a jerk, and I-"

"Don't even go there," he warned, stepping closer. "You were hurt. It's understandable that you didn't want to listen."

"It's not," she tried to say, but Aaron held up his hand to stop her.

"Just kiss me already." Emily didn't need to be told twice. She flung herself into his arms and brought their lips together in a fervent kiss.

The entire senior class (except for Haley) let out a cheer. The team was the loudest. Penelope found JJ in the crowd and dragged her over to their friends.

"So you weren't lying?" Derek asked hesitantly.

"No," JJ said sincerely. "I could never lie to you guys."

"Well, then, uh," Derek said, looking uncomfortable. "I'm sorry we accused you like that. It's wasn't fair to you or Aaron."

JJ smiled. "It's okay. What's done is done. All that matters is that we're all together now." She smiled at the way Aaron and Emily were holding on to each other for dear life and the way Penelope was holding Derek's hand. Looking around, JJ spotted Spencer standing awkwardly to the side. She took a deep breath and began to walk over to him when there was a loud scream from the center of the room.

"Who cares about _them_?" Haley demanded angrily. "Who's Prom Queen?" She was determined to have her last dance with Aaron.

Strauss immediately noticed her favorite student's discomfort and gestured for the second envelope to be brought up. However, instead of the girl from student council, Derek was the person who ran up with a slip of paper. He winked at the crowd before jumping off the stage. Strauss didn't even notice because she was too focused on naming Haley as Queen.

"Your Prom Queen is Emily Prentiss!" She shouted the name before it even registered in her head. Looking down at the paper in shock, Strauss was about to call for the real Queen when Rossi appeared out of nowhere to pull her off the stage.

Haley was so angry people could have sworn they saw steam coming out of her ears. She began to scream and yell, but no one heard her. They were too busy cheering for Emily.

She looked at Aaron in shock. "What just happened?"

He smiled. "You're Queen, sweetheart."

"But how?"

"I think Derek had something to do with it," he whispered conspiratorially. She spun around to face her friend who was smiling innocently back. She took a step toward him before being pulled back by Aaron. "Don't get mad, Em."

"I'm not mad," Emily insisted. "I was going to thank him."

"Well, do it after your dance," Penelope said, shoving the couple to the center of the gym. JJ ran up and handed Emily her crown. Laughing at the craziness of it all, Emily allowed Aaron to place it on her head before he took her hand. He rested his other hand on her waist, and she placed hers on his shoulder. A slow song began to play over the speakers, and the other students were more than happy to let the couple have their moment.

Emily let out a content sigh and snuggled closer to Aaron. He tightened his grip on her and kissed the top of her head.

"Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?"

She smiled. "No, I don't think you did."

Aaron chuckled and leaned back slightly so he could look at her properly. "Emily, you look absolutely gorgeous tonight."

Even in the dark he could see the blush creeping up her face. "Thank you. And you look unbelievably handsome tonight, Aaron." He grinned, and Emily's stomach did a little flip at the sight of his dimples.

He then sobered slightly and whispered, "I'm so sorry for all the pain I caused you this year. You don't deserve any of that."

She shook her head vehemently. "Don't you dare apologize. If anyone should be doing that it's me." Aaron opened his mouth to object but she cut him off. "No, I'm serious, Aaron. I should have listened to you. I should have trusted you!"

Aaron sighed. "You really don't need to do that, but will it make you feel better if I say I forgive you?"

"Yes, it would."

He kissed her gently on the lips. "I forgive you," he whispered.

"I forgive you, too," she breathed.

Aaron pulled her closer to his body. "I love you, Emily Prentiss."

"I love you too, Aaron Hotchner."

* * *

><p>While Aaron and Emily had their dance, JJ slowly approached Spencer. He was sitting at a nearby table watching the various couples dance. He looked both happy and sad.<p>

"Hey," JJ said softly. He looked up in surprise.

"Hey," he whispered.

The two of them fell into an awkward silence. JJ began to rock back and forth on her feet while Spencer continued to watch everyone dance. She jumped in surprise when he spoke again.

"Do you want to dance?" JJ looked at him in surprise, then smiled shyly.

"I'd love to." Spencer led her out to where Aaron and Emily danced next to Derek and Penelope. Pulling her close, the two of them began to sway gently back and forth.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. He looked at her in confusion.

"For what?"

"For all this drama. You trusted me, and it seemed like I betrayed that trust."

Spencer shook his head. "No, you didn't. If that video proved anything it was that you and Aaron did nothing like that." He smiled tentatively. "There's no need to apologize."

JJ smiled shakily. "That means no apologizing for you either."

"What?"

"I know what you're gonna do, and that's apologize for doubting me. Don't. There's no need to."

Spencer just smiled, and JJ rested her head on his shoulder. A moment later she popped back up.

"Since when did you get so tall?" she asked with a laugh.

"I've always been tall," he replied modestly with a shrug. "No one ever notices."

"I noticed," JJ whispered.

"I know," Spencer said with a smile. He leaned closer and gave her a gentle kiss. It was quick and tentative, but it meant the world to JJ.

"You really are something, Spencer Reid," she said in amazement.

Spencer just laughed and held her close. Next to them Penelope and Derek were swaying back and forth, and next to them Aaron and Emily were whispering how much they loved each other over and over.

Everything was officially right with the world.


	43. Long Live

**A/N: So this is it. No, it's not the very last chapter, but it's the last chapter of them in high school. The only thing left is the epilogue, and that will probably be up on Monday. *Sniff* I can't believe this story is almost done. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. It was influenced by the Taylor Swift song "Long Live" so if you've never heard it, look it up. I think it fits this chapter pretty well.**

BAU High School

Chapter 43: Long Live

For the millionth time that year, the social ladder at Thomas Jefferson High School changed. Instead of the unpopular people being harassed, it was Haley who was now shunned. Everyone had been waiting for someone to take her down, and the video at prom was the perfect thing. No one thought what she did to Aaron and Emily was cool, and within the week after that night, Haley was the most hated person in school.

Keeping true to her word, Haley dragged Will down with her. Back at prom, he tried to say he had no part in the plan whatsoever, but no one believed him. The evidence stacked up against him was too great.

Aaron wanted nothing more than to punch his former best friend when Will tried to tease Spencer the Monday after prom. He had gotten pretty close too, having shoved Will against a locker. Instead he took a deep breath and stepped back.

"Just get out of here," he said lowly.

Will scowled slightly before stomping off. He never bothered Spencer again.

Most of all, Strauss was furious with everything that happened. Her favorite student had been revealed as a liar and a cheat, and because of that, she lost her ability to contain the less athletic kids. She hated walking the halls and seeing someone from the team smirk at her.

The worst was Emily of course. She knew it killed Strauss to see Aaron with her and not Haley. However, Emily always greeted her with a smile.

There was a rumor floating around that Strauss planned to retire at the end of the year, and there was a chance Rossi would replace her.

As for the team, they spent the rest of senior year soaking up their last moments together.

"The end of the year doesn't mean the end of us though," Penelope said sternly one night. They were all sitting on Emily's front porch, enjoying the early-summer air. "We'll all stay in touch, and I intend to be there at Aaron and Emily's wedding."

"What?" the couple in question sputtered. Emily nearly dropped her can of Sprite.

"Oh, come on," Penelope said with a flap of her hand. "You know it's gonna happen."

Aaron and Emily shared a look, and he leaned in to meet her lips with his.

"Let's worry about that when we come to it," Emily said with a smile. She wasn't going to lie; imagining herself marrying Aaron wasn't a new concept for her. She loved him, and she didn't see herself stopping any time soon. But they had college to get through, and if they ever got married, it wasn't going to happen for a very long time.

* * *

><p>During the beginning of June, while the rest of the school prepared themselves for finals, the seniors were enjoying the perks of graduating. No more homework, no finals… They kept throwing parties for no reason. Students were fitted for their gowns, and the program for the ceremony, set for June sixteenth, was in the process of being finalized. The faculty was tasked with picking a student to give the commencement speech.<p>

"If they go with the valedictorian," Rossi was telling the team one day, "it's Spencer."

"What?" he squeaked.

"Oh, come one," Emily said. "You're the smartest person in school."

"But I don't like public speaking," he whispered. Rossi smiled at the boy.

"I know, and I told them that. So they chose another student. One who has shown true intelligence and friendship in his four years here."

"Who?" Derek asked curiously.

"Aaron."

The dark-haired boy looked up in surprise. "Me?"

"You," Rossi replied with a chuckle. "Strauss was against it at first, but all the other teachers overruled her."

"Congrats, Hotch!" Penelope squealed excitedly. JJ and Spencer put in their congrats as well, and Derek playfully punched Aaron's shoulder. Emily gave him a brief kiss.

"I… Wow. Seriously? I have to give a speech?"

"Only if you want to," Rossi said good-naturedly.

Aaron turned and surveyed his group of misfit friends. They were all grinning at him like freaks.

"Oh, alright." His friends cheered loudly. "It will definitely be an interesting experience."

* * *

><p>The last two weeks before graduation sped by, and before anyone knew it the day had finally come. Rows and rows of chairs were placed on the football field in even rows. A stage had been set up in one end zone, complete with a podium for speaking. A small table held all the diplomas.<p>

Parents were arriving left and right, desperate to score the best seat. With only fifteen minutes until the beginning of the ceremony, all of the seats were filled with the exception of the front section left for the students.

Up at the school in the hallway that led to the outside, teenagers clad in red graduation gowns were hurrying back and forth, trying to get ready for the ceremony. Girls were fixing their hair, and boys were knocking each other's caps off their heads.

Huddled in the corner was the team standing in a tight circle. Aaron held Emily's hand, Spencer held JJ's, and Derek held Penelope's. They were all looking at each other with wide eyes.

"So this is it," Spencer said softly.

"Graduation," Derek added in disbelief.

"I can't believe we made it," Penelope said dramatically.

"I can," Emily said. "We've been through so much this year that I would've killed someone if we didn't get to this point."

"Don't forget that some of the things we went through were good," Aaron teased, nudging his girlfriend's shoulder.

"I'll never forget."

"You got your speech, Hotch?" Derek asked.

"Yeah." Aaron suddenly felt a wave of dizziness pass over him. He was going to give a speech. In front of hundreds of people. He'd never done anything like that before.

"You okay?" Emily asked with a concerned look on her face.

"Yeah, I'm fine." At Emily's doubtful face he added, "Just a little nervous."

"Don't be," she said gently. "You'll be fine." She kissed him on the cheek. "If you get freaked, look at me. In fact, just look at me the whole time."

He kissed her on the lips. "What did I do to deserve you?"

She smiled. "You let your true self shine through."

Aaron opened his mouth to reply, but a loud clap cut him off. Strauss was telling people to get into line. Kissing Emily one last time, he wove through the crowd of teens to the H section. A moment later the line began to make their way down to the field.

Parents began to snap pictures as soon as the first students appeared. The band, seated next to the stage, began to play the school's fight song.

It took a few minutes to get all the seniors seated, but once there was silence over the crowd Strauss stepped up to the podium. She welcomed the parents and congratulated the graduating class. Finally she said, "The student giving the speech today was chosen by his teachers as a student who has shown his best self in his four years here. He brought us all to victory, and in the process brought the school together. Please welcome, Aaron Hotchner."

Strauss managed to keep the grimace off her face, but Aaron knew it was present in her mind. Standing up, he held his head high and strode up to the stage, grinning when he heard his friends cheering loudly. He nodded politely to Strauss when he reached the podium and pulled out his speech. Clearing his throat, he began.

"Thank you, Principal Strauss, for that introduction. You give me too much credit. It wasn't just me who led the school to victory this year. The football team as a whole did that, not me. I can't possibly claim that I brought everyone together, though my friends may try to say I at least started it.

"At the beginning of the year, heck, at the beginning of freshman year, I was a very different person. I was friends with only one group of people, and I didn't even try to get to know anyone else. That was a mistake because I missed out on knowing some great people. That's why I'm grateful for everything that happened this year.

"You see, at the beginning of this year, I met someone who showed me the importance of being yourself. She showed me what it was like to embrace new things and new people. I'm glad I met her because she changed my life."

He met Emily's eyes in the crowd and suppressed the grin that began to pop up. She had tears in her eyes, and she nodded for him to go on.

"Through her," Aaron continued, "I was introduced to other people who are now my best friends. After I met them, I became aware of the best part of high school: The people you meet. Sure, when we all go off to college we'll meet new people there as well. But they won't be like the people we've met here. Our best friends are here. Our enemies and first loves are all here. There's really nothing like high school.

"So I say this to all the seniors here: Don't forget each other. Don't forget all the memories we've made here in those short four years. I'd like to think we've made a lasting impression on this place, and we will be remembered for that."

He took a step back to signify the end of his speech, and the crowd went wild. He could see his parents smiling proudly from where they sat to his left, and little Sean was waving his hands around. His friends were cheering excitedly from wherever they stood in the mass of red, and Aaron felt a smile of his own appear on his face.

After he returned to his seat, Strauss said a few more things before she started to call up the students one by one. Aaron cheered politely for Haley, then screamed loudly for Penelope several students later.

As soon as Penelope heard her name she sprung out of her seat and raced to the podium. Ignoring Strauss' displeased look, she gave the principal a hug, eliciting a laugh from the crowd.

Aaron was next, and he smiled when he heard his friends cheer yet again. Rossi stood at the foot of the steps leading up to the stage so he could give Aaron a hug.

"I'm gonna miss you, kid," he whispered.

"Don't worry," Aaron replied, "I'll visit."

"You better," Rossi joked before giving his favorite student a little shove.

The next team member to accept their diploma was JJ. She passed Haley on the way up and offered her a polite smile. Haley just tipped her head. Rolling her eyes slightly, JJ finished the walk to the podium and took her diploma from Strauss. She smiled when she heard Penelope yell, "Yeah, JJ!"

Will was a few people before Derek, and JJ let out a little cheer for him just like Aaron did for Haley. Neither wanted any hard feelings between their exes, though there was a bit of resentment.

Derek jogged up onto the stage and waved his arms in an attempt to get a louder cheer. Mrs. Morgan and Derek's sisters shrieked wildly from the back, and Derek grinned broadly. He blew Penelope a kiss before leaving the stage.

For a brief moment, Emily was terrified Strauss wasn't going to hand over her diploma, though that went away the moment she heard, "Emily Prentiss." She heard JJ and Penelope scream her name and Derek and Spencer let out whoops, but she only had eyes for Aaron, who stood up when her name was called. He managed to give her a little kiss when she walked by, and she felt a blush develop. Strauss (somewhat reluctantly) handed Emily her diploma when she approached, and Emily gave her a polite smile.

"Thank you, ma'am," she said innocently.

Spencer was the last team member to get called up, and he received the loudest cheer. Kids who used to tease him gave him high-fives as he walked by. Rossi clapped him on the shoulder when he approached the stage, and Gideon stepped forward to give him a hug.

"Great job this year," he said gruffly. Spencer felt a wave of pride seep through him.

"Thank you. You really taught me a lot," he replied shyly.

"Glad to hear it," Gideon said kindly.

Spencer scurried up the steps and walked across the stage with his head held high. He thanked Strauss nicely before getting off the stage clutching his diploma. It felt wonderful in his hands.

Finally the last few names were called, and Strauss said, "Congratulations to the class of 2012!"

Every student leapt up and threw their caps in the air. Parents applauded their children enthusiastically and began to weave through the crowd in order to find them.

Knowing their parents were on their way to track them down, the team met up in the center of the field. They began to throw their arms around each other, pulling everyone close.

"High school is officially done!" Derek cried victoriously.

"We survived," Spencer quipped.

"And we need to celebrate," Penelope replied immediately.

"Uh, Pen, I don't know about you," JJ said slowly, "But my parents think their taking me out for food." The rest of the team murmured their agreement.

"Okay, then after our individual parties," Penelope said impatiently. That got a resounding yes from everyone.

Aaron pulled Emily aside and gave her a kiss. "We made it."

"I know. It's crazy."

Aaron took a deep breath. "There's something I have to tell you."

Emily's heart dropped a bit. "Uh, okay. What is it?"

Aaron opened his mouth to answer when Emily felt arms around her.

"Emily! Congratulations, my dear!" Elizabeth Prentiss trilled. Her father appeared by her mother's side.

"Thanks, Mom," she said sheepishly. Turning back to Aaron, she gave him an apologetic look.

"It's okay," he mouthed. "Later."

With that he allowed himself to be posed for a few pictures with Emily before disappearing into the crowd.

* * *

><p>Hours later, Aaron was able to extract himself from his family. His grandparents kept congratulating him and asking about college. He just kept smiling and answering.<p>

Driving across town, he rolled down the window and allowed the June air into the car. He still couldn't believe he was a high school graduate. Those four years really did fly by, and now everyone was heading off to different places.

It was scary to know that the majority of next year wouldn't be spent at home with his friends. He wouldn't get to see Sean's next Halloween costume, or see if next year's football team would succeed (though he intended to check in every now and then).

_I guess that's what growing up is about, _he mused to himself. That was what he was doing: Growing up. Everyone has to at some point.

Pulling into the parking lot of the club Penelope told him to go to, Aaron immediately saw various seniors from school on the roof doing what they did best: Partying. Smiling to himself, he climbed out of the car and headed up.

Loud music assaulted him the minute he stepped onto the roof. Kids were dancing left and right, and many people were running around with yearbook for their friends to sign. Scanning the dark area, he saw Spencer and JJ dancing a few feet away.

"Hey, you two," he greeted.

"Hey, Hotch," JJ said with ease. She loved being able to call him that again.

"Where is everyone?"

"Penelope and Derek are off somewhere doing who knows what," Spencer replied briskly. "And I don't know about Emily."

Aaron felt his phone buzz, and once he dug it out of his jeans he saw a message from Emily. It read, _Northeast corner of the roof. It's quiet over here._

He said goodbye to Spencer and JJ before walking into the crowd, leaving them alone. A slow song suddenly began to play on the speakers, and Spencer did a dramatic bow.

"Would you like to dance?"

JJ giggled. "You're such a nerd."

Spencer took JJ's hand in his and began to sway back and forth. "So are you."

"Yeah, I guess I am," JJ said happily. "Wait, I thought you hated to dance."

"But you like it, don't you?"

"Yeah."

"Then we dance."

JJ grinned and kissed him quickly. "You're amazing."

"Thanks," he said sheepishly, glancing down at his feet. "And to think it only took four years."

"I know. So much has changed." JJ tipped her head back to look at the sky.

"But for the better, right?" Spencer pressed.

JJ brought her head back down. "Of course, Spence. This change was a very _good_ kind of change."

* * *

><p>Emily stood in the back corner of the roof, leaning against the low wall. The night sky was full of bright stars, and she was absent-mindedly thinking of constellations. Her mind was really somewhere else though. She hadn't forgotten the serious look on Aaron's face earlier, and she was worried about what he had to say. She didn't think she would break up with her, but that didn't stop her from being a bit freaked out.<p>

She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't hear footsteps approach. She was only aware of Aaron's presence when he wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"Hi," he said, kissing her cheek.

"Hi," she said back, turning around in his arms to face him.

"How was your party?' he asked lightly.

Emily forced a smile. "Fine. It was really just my parents because everyone else in my family is scattered around the country. What about yours?"

"The same as yours, though I had more family members. I was surprised at how my dad managed to keep his cool the whole way through."

Emily cocked her head in confusion. "Why wouldn't he?"

Aaron tightened his grip on her. "Because I told him I was going to Yale."

Emily's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

The corners of Aaron's mouth twisted upward. "I hope you weren't planning on getting rid of me 'cause I'm going to the same school as you."

"Oh, Aaron," she said breathlessly. "But what about Harvard?"

"I'm thinking of going there for my law degree," he said truthfully. "But that's only if I want to be a lawyer after I get my degree in Psychology."

Emily smiled. "So you are going for that?"

He shrugged. "I really enjoy it, and I think it's worth pursuing. That's what you're doing, right?"

"Yeah," she replied happily. Then she frowned. "Wait, you're not going to Yale just because of me right? Because I don't believe in the whole doing things just because my significant other is."

"Emily, sweetheart, breath," he said gently. "I'm not going to lie; you were a contributing factor for this decision. However, I genuinely want to go to Yale. I think it's a great school, and I know I'll learn a lot there. I'm not going there just because you are."

"Good," she breathed. Then she kissed him. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he chuckled. He stepped back and offered his hand. "Come on, let's go find everyone else."

Grabbing his hand, Emily gave it a little squeeze as they returned to the main part of the party. It wasn't hard to track down the rest of the team, and before long they all stood in a little circle.

"This summer is going to be amazing," Penelope declared. "We're going to do everything before we take off to our different schools."

"And we'll still get to see each other on vacations," JJ finished with a smile.

"This is not the end," Spencer said.

"It's the end of high school," Derek remarked. "Thank God."

"You make it sound like it was awful," Emily teased.

"It was." Penelope smacked him on the arm. "Okay, _parts _of it were awful."

Aaron smiled at his friends. They had come so far, and it wasn't easy, but they were better off now. They were more than friends; they were a family.

"I love you guys," Aaron said suddenly. Everyone looked at him in surprise. While he was never shy about his feelings for Emily, Aaron rarely showed a lot of emotion for the rest of the team, though they never held it against him.

"We love you, too, Hotch," Penelope said with a grin.

"Group hug!" JJ cried. Everyone laughed and threw their arms around each other.

They would definitely be remembered.

**A/N 2: Thank you to everyone who has read this story! I appreciate every review, favorite, and alert. Keep your eye out for the last chapter, and please let me know what you thought about this chapter. Thank you!**


	44. Epilogue

**A/N: Well, this is it. I really can't believe it. There's a longer A/N at the end, so just enjoy the chapter. =)**

BAU High School

Epilogue

2033

"Emily! Are you almost ready? We have to go!" thirty-nine year old Aaron Hotchner yelled up the stairs. A quick glance at his watch told him they were running very late.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Emily Hotchner called back, hurrying down the stairs. She came to a stop at the bottom. "Oh, you can't be serious."

"What?" Aaron asked nervously.

"Aaron, sweetie, it's a little get-together. At Coach Rossi's. Why are you wearing a suit?"

"Why do you still call him coach? He's been retired for a few years."

"Oh, come on, like you don't think of him as your coach. And stop distracting me! What's with the suit?"

Aaron sighed. "Because I just came from work and didn't have enough time to change."

"How long have you been home?"

"Fifteen minutes," he said.

Emily's mouth fell open. "Why didn't you change then?"

"I was under the impression we would be leaving right away, plus I had to get Jack ready," Aaron said patiently.

"Where is he anyway?" asked Emily suddenly.

"Last I saw him he was watching a cartoon."

"Okay, well, I'm gonna go load some things into the car. Why don't you run upstairs and change? The team will love seeing you dressed casually."

"They've seen me dressed casually," Aaron said defensively as his wife began to walk to the kitchen.

"Not since college," she replied smartly. Aaron rolled his eyes before chasing after her. Grabbing her from behind, he spun her around and kissed her.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi to you too," Emily laughed. "How was work?"

"Fine," he sighed. "There haven't been any cases lately, though JJ thinks there's a big one coming from Santa Fe. It's all a matter of them asking us."

"That's good, I guess. Has there been any, uh, talk about that promotion?"

"Em, come on."

"What?" she asked innocently. "You've worked your butt off in that department for nine years, and you deserve to be Unit Chief."

Aaron kissed her again. "We'll talk later. We're running late," he reminded her.

"Right. Go change." She patted his shoulders, and he grinned and hurried off. She walked into the kitchen and grabbed the bowl of salad from the fridge.

"Jack? Honey, we have to go. Turn the TV off," Emily told her six-year-old son. A moment later he came bounding into the room.

"We're going to Uncle Dave's?" he asked excitedly.

"Yep, so go get into the car," Aaron said from the doorway. Jack let out a cheer before running from the room.

Emily gave her husband a casual once over. "Much better." He looked handsome as always in a dark blue polo shirt and dark jeans.

"I figured you'd approve." He took the bowl from her hands and ushered her out the back door. "Now did I mention we're late?"

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes later, the Hotchners' Jeep pulled into Rossi's driveway. The Morgans' car was already there, though Spencer and JJ weren't.<p>

"Hey, look who finally showed up," Derek Morgan teased as soon as they entered the large house.

"How are you here before us?" asked Emily. "You and Aaron work at the same place."

"You know Hotch," Penelope Morgan said good-naturedly from where she stood next to her husband. "He needs to make sure _all_ his work is done."

Emily sent her husband a mock-glare. "And you were yelling at _me_ for being late?"

"I love you," he said sweetly, pressing a kiss to her lips.

"Ew!" Jack yelled. "Gross!"

"That's right, little man," Derek said. "Kissing is very, very gross." He winked at Penelope. "Hey, Jack, do you wanna go play outside?"

"Yeah!" Derek picked Jack up and exited the room. Just as he was leaving, Rossi was coming in.

"Hey! There's my favorite football player!" He gave Aaron and hug before giving Emily one as well.

"God, I haven't played football in years."

"It's a shame," Rossi said with a shake of his head. "You could've been great."

"Eh, I like my job now," Aaron said with a smile.

"And you're good at it!" Penelope said. "Rumor has it that you're next in line for Unit Chief!"

"And that's all it is," Aaron replied firmly. "A rumor."

"You don't know that," Emily chided, nudging his arm playfully.

Aaron opened his mouth to respond when another voice chimed in. "Yeah, Hotch, you really don't know."

Turning his head, Aaron caught a glimpse of the remaining two members of their team. Spencer and Jennifer Reid (they still called her JJ) walked into the room. In JJ's arms was their three-year-old son Henry.

"You don't even know what we're talking about," Aaron retorted. He still loved teasing JJ like an older brother. Her sister had passed away a few years ago, and he knew JJ needed some form of sibling love.

"I do, too," she fired back. "You're saying how you don't think you're going to be Unit Chief."

"Oh, is he still on that?" Derek moaned from the doorway. Henry spotted Jack behind Derek, and squirmed in JJ's arms. She set him down and watched him totter off.

"Yes," everyone chorused. Aaron frowned.

"I just don't want to get my hopes up," he said slowly.

Spencer nudged JJ. "Tell him."

"Now? But it's more fun watching him underestimate himself."

Aaron raised an eyebrow. "Tell me what?"

A smiled spread across JJ's face. "Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce the BAU's new Unit Chief, Aaron Hotchner."

Aaron's eyes widened, and his mouth fell open slightly. They hadn't seen him look this shocked since high school.

"You're kidding."

"That would be a mean joke," Spencer said lightly. "Congratulations, Hotch."

Everyone else yelled their congratulations, and Aaron spun around to face his wife. She was smiling at him proudly.

"Wow," he whispered.

"I know," she said. "Congrats, sweetie." She gave him a hug. "I'm so proud of you."

"I always knew you were destined for greatness," Rossi said with a slight smirk. Aaron raised an eyebrow.

"Two seconds ago you were telling me I would've been great at _football_."

"Eh, football player, federal agent, what's the difference?" Rossi joked. "You're still taking people out."

"Only now it's legitimate bad guys," Penelope said quietly. The group fell silent at the reminder, but brightened considerably when Jack and Henry ran into the room begging to play soccer. They all trooped out into Rossi's ginormous yard, and JJ grabbed an old ball from the backseat of her car. Soccer ran in the family, for Henry enjoyed kicking the ball around. Jack even played the sport with his dad as his coach. Aaron had immediately enlisted his former coach to assist.

It seemed like the nickname Rossi gave them in high school came true. They were now an actual team in the FBI: The Behavioral Analysis Unit. It was the same one Gideon was a part of years ago, and he put in glowing recommendations for all of them. Emily had been a part of the team for a few years before resigning when Jack was born. JJ was still their media liaison, but she didn't travel with them. Penelope was their Technical Analyst, leaving Spencer, Derek, and Aaron as the profilers.

Though other teams may need another member, this team worked perfectly with what they had. It was most likely due to the way they had known each other since high school. They had been best friends then, and they were still best friends now.

After a few games, everyone retreated into Rossi's dining room to eat dinner. Emily and JJ prepared plates for their sons, and when everyone was settled Rossi stood up holding a wine glass in his hand.

"I love these little get-togethers," he started. "It gives me the opportunity to see my favorite students all grown up." He gave them all a proud smile. "It's been twenty-one years since you graduated, and it's like nothing changed. To me, you're still those teenagers that defied the school's expectations for them. You made new friends and found love." He smiled at the various couples sitting around the table. "That high school was never the same after you left."

"You're going to make me cry," Penelope sniffed. Everyone chuckled a bit, and Derek kissed her on the cheek.

"Alright, I'll get on with it." Rossi raised his glass in the air. "To old friends and new ones." He grinned at Jack and Henry. "Cheers."

* * *

><p>Later that night, after they got home from Rossi's, Aaron sat downstairs on the couch. Emily was tucking Jack into bed at the moment, leaving Aaron to his thoughts. Going to his former coach's house always brought back memories, and this night in particular prompted him to dig out his old yearbook. He was flipping through the pages when Emily came back downstairs.<p>

"Whatcha doing?" she asked, settling onto the couch next to him. He automatically wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close.

"Just reliving some memories," he said softly. Turning the page, his eyes fell on a picture of the football team. There he was, number 7, sitting in the front row.

"You were so cute back then," Emily murmured.

"Oh, really? What about now?" he teased.

"Eh, so-so." At her husband's indignant look she kissed him on the cheek. "Oh, come on, you know I'm kidding. You've gotten even more handsome with age."

"Yeah, whatever," Aaron huffed, though the small smile on his face told Emily he wasn't hurt. He sighed as he gazed at the picture. "I was so young."

"We all were. Spencer more than others." They both laughed at that, and Aaron flicked through a few more pages before landing on one dedicated to prom. There was a picture of the two of them with the caption "Prom King and Queen." They were dancing together, completely ignoring the outside world. Aaron kissed Emily on the top of her head, and she slipped her hand into his.

"You know," she said quietly, "When I first lay eyes on you in Chemistry, I thought you were the cutest boy I had ever seen."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Then you blew me off after class," Aaron groaned at that, "and I wondered why all the jerks were so cute."

"You did not."

"Did, too," she said lightly. They were silent for a moment before Aaron spoke.

"I'm sorry about that."

"You already apologized several times."

"… Sorry."

Emily laughed and took the book from his hands. She placed it on the coffee table in front of them and kissed him. His hands went to her hair, and she fisted his shirt. After a moment she pulled away.

"I love you," she whispered. "I've loved you ever since you manned up and apologized all those years ago."

"I've loved you since you sat down next to me in Chemistry," he said, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Really?"

"Yes, really," he replied with a smile. "You changed my life that day."

"So did you."

Aaron let out a content sigh. "Who knew high school could be so life-changing?"

Emily laughed and laid her head on his chest. "I know I didn't."

Aaron kissed her head and wrapped his arms securely around her. "Me neither. But I'm glad it is."

Emily thought back to that year. Who would've thought that that boy in Chemistry who was a jerk to her at first would be her husband?

"Me too," she whispered. "Me too."

THE END

**A/N 2: Oh boy... I'm getting emotional over here. This has been an amazing journey for me. I never thought this story would actually be finished, and I never thought it would get the reception it has. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Thank you for your kind reviews, and for following and favoriting this story. You guys are amazing. **

**I know a lot of people want a sequel, and I make no promises, but if it's still wanted after my NCIS/CM crossover, I MAY do one. =) If enough people want me to, I'll write little tie-in one-shots every now and then. =)**

**So, once again, thank you SO MUCH for your support. Please leave one last review (and please be nice). =) =)**

**THANK YOU!**


	45. Author's Note

**Hi people!**

**No, this is not another chapter of BAU High School. Instead, this is an announcement. If you haven't noticed yet, the first chapter of the sequel, BAU Spring Break, has finally been posted! I wanted to make sure all of you knew, since you were all nice enough to set an alert for my story.**

**So, thank you for your support, and thank you for being so patient. I hope you enjoy it!**

**~hpgirl**


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